ASUU CLEARS AIR ON 2-WEEK WARNING STRIKE...

Against the comments of Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige declaring the strike embarked on by members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, illegal, saying that the union did not give government the mandatory notice before withdrawing their services.ASUU Akure zone has cleared air over the  2-week warning strike embarked on by the union Nationwide as that of due process with a decision by the NEC of the Union  to press home her  demands from the federal government accordingly.

In an address jointly signed and presented by leaders of the Union in the zone that comprises OAU,EKSU, FUOYE, FUTA  as read by Comrade Olu-Olu Olufayo,the zonal Coordinator  said, the issue of insecurity across the length and breadth of the country is on the alarming and unbearable rate, bare in mind cases of banditry, herdsmen/farmers clashes and insurgency calls for ugent attention at improving the security network in the country.

The union noted with disappointment the present state of decay of the nation's economy  as unimaginable, expressing fears and grip that the nation's economy had been hijacked by the neo-liberalists, which have also gotten drastic effect on the infrastructure development, currency devaluation, hyperinflation and improverishment of the masses.

While warning that if the trend continues in this direction,the government would be bringing backwardness, poverty, hunger,illitracy and disemployment to the citizenry.ASUU therefore that urgent economic intervention and measures be put in place to tackle all these meance, tackle corruption whichthe union  described is on large scale across nearly all facet of the country.

ASUU as part of her demands to embark on the warning strike is the issue administrative recklessness,abuse of power and privileges, manipulation of the extant laws and financial recklessness in the administration of some public Universities in the country.

While the Academic Staff Union calls on the federal government for an immediate review of the promises made to address the dilapidated and deplorable infrastructures and bad state of education in the country, noting that as things stand today in the country, students are made to learn under inhumane conditions. Adding that the attempt to erode Universities autonomy make them incapable of performing optimally in teaching, research and rendering of services.

It was also stated that the forceful introduction on the Universities the obnoxious Integrated Personnel and payroll Information System (IPPIS) by the government, as against the cost-free and effective alternative platform, University Transparent and Accountability Solution (UTAS), saying the IPPIS runs counter of the Universities Micellaneous Provision Act (as amended) that it is nothing but fraud which allows the enrollment of ghost workers,this the union are resisting.

While it was also noted by ASUU that part of their dismay and reasons for the strike , inspite of all the agreement reached at the meeting held with President Muhammad Buhari on January,2020,which covered six strategic areas of the Universities needs, only one area ,the re-negotiation of the 2009FGN-ASUU'S agreement had witnessed some actions, while others are yet to be implemented especially the third party deduction of Union's check off dues, cooperative contributions of members are still on hold.

ASUU however calls on the government to quickly put into action all the agreement  and issues raised in the general interest of the populace and citizenry in the country.

In his words, Chairman FUTA ASUU, Comrade ,'Yinka Awopetu noted that if government are responsive to need and yearnings of the people appropriately, there will be no need for any strike or industrial action. Adding that up till the present moment, government has not paid February salary to staff of Universities, despite they worked for the pay, while another month is almost finishing.

Adding that  issue of IPPIS recently introduced by the federal government is nothing but a fraud on the path of citizenry, while it is part of the stringent conditions given to the FG to obtain a foreign loan.

Present at the briefing were Comrade Olu-Olu Oluayo, zonal Coordinator, Akure zone ASUU , Chairpersons of other institutions in the zone, Comrade Adeola Egbetokun, OAU, Comrade Akinyemi Omonijo,FUOYE, Comrade 'Yinka Awopetu,FUTA and Comrade Kayode Arogundade of EKSU as all noted that the warning strike were effective in all the institutions.