The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) says it will still embark on strike, unless the government address its demands, including the 2009 agreement.
The ASUU President, Prof Emmanuel Osodeke, said this on Sunday during a media interview.
He said the N30bn Revitalisation Fund and N22.5bn Earned Academic Allowance totalling N52.5bn released by the Federal Government is not enough to deal with the challenges facing the university system.
Osodeke said the fund released by the government was a token payment which was not enough for lecturers to change their minds on the suspended strike.
He urged Federal Government to address the issues concerning the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System, which the union rejected.
“There is an agreement and we want them to implement the agreement. The issue is not about money. There is the issue of renegotiation, there is the issue of resuscitation of the universities, and there is the issue of UTAS. So, you don’t just come and throw a little money and think the challenge has been resolved,” he said.
“This is what our political class is doing. They believe that once they throw a little money, everybody will run back. That is the problem. So, it is not about the token they have given. There are more fundamental issues.
“Our going on strike is a possibility. The only reason we relaxed is because a group, Nigeria Inter-Religious Council, intervened. We respect the group so much. The group told us they would intervene and they would ensure that the government implements our agreement. That is why we agreed to the benefit of the Federal Government.
“So, we decided we will give the Federal Government till the end of this year (2021) and see what it will do. Other groups also intervened. That explained why we relaxed going on strike, so that they will not say ASUU likes going on strike.
“The Federal Government should do the needful by embracing the agreement to prevent ASUU from going on strike. Nigeria as a whole will suffer the brunt of ASUU going on strike.”
ASUU suspended its nine months strike on December 24, 2020. The union commenced the strike over the non-payment of salaries of its members who failed to enroll into the Integrated Payroll and Personnel information system and some other agreements the union had with the government.
The union gave deadlines and threatened that it would not hesitate to withdraw its services if the government reneged on its promises.
