Following reports that the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) is set to extend its ongoing strike that has paralyzed Nigeria’s public universities, Nigerians are calling for an end to the lingering industrial action.
With the harsh tag, #ASUUStrikeMustEnd, Nigerians and Nigerian students across social media platforms are calling for an end to the strike action which has lingered for about 196 days.
Expressing frustration at the Union and Federal Government, stakeholders opined that students be compensated for the time wasted.
What they are saying
On Twitter, @QwiinK wrote, “In my opinion, I believe ASUU and FG are meant to compensate students for the wasted months/years at home cause at the end of the day, we’re at the losing end. I’m just grateful that most of us are using our time to better ourselves and make something good.”
In my opinion, I believe ASUU and FG are meant to compensate students for the wasted months/years at home cause at the end of the day, we're at the losing end. I'm just grateful that most of us are using our time to better ourselves and make something good #ASUUStrikeMustEnd
— Breezy's baby 💕 (@QwiinK) August 29, 2022
@EddyMacauley said, “I’ll personally lead legal movement to put an END to illegal ASUU strike. The strike is illegal and the union workers should not expect payment of salaries. Nigerian Government should use the salaries meant for union workers to compensate the student for the time waste.”
I’ll personally lead legal movement to put an END to illegal ASUU strike. The strike is illegal & the union workers should not expect payment of salaries. @NigeriaGov should use the salaries meant for union workers to compensate the student for the time waste. #ASUUStrikeMustEnd https://t.co/3qBT479VLd
— EMC 🇳🇬 (@EddyMacauley) August 29, 2022
@mastrepiece_wrote, “With the way things are going, it seems like Nigerian public universities won’t opening anytime soon, God help students caught in the middle of this. FG fails”
https://twitter.com/mastrepiece_/status/1564205654872657920
@peacepaschal1 noted, “In the case of ASUU, you want to tell me they have been having many meetings and no outcome??? Shame! Our education has gone really bad. This has to stop haba.”
In the case of Asuu, you want to tell me they have been having many meetings and no outcome??? Shame! Our education has gone really bad… This has to stop haba.#ASUU #Asuuwhy #ASUUStrikeMustEnd
— Eleojo💕 (@peacepaschal1) August 29, 2022
@obikekz said, “This is evil, there’s a strong cabal benefiting from this nonsense striking, because there are some staffs who can’t feed their homes again because of the ‘no work no pay policy’ by the FG, and I am sure there are already tired of the strike, there’s hunger in the land.”
This is evil, there's a strong cabal benefiting from this nonsense striking, bcos there are some staffs who can't feed their homes again bcos of the no work no pay policy by the FG, and am sure there r already tired of the strike, there's hunger in the land.#ASUUStrikeMustEnd pic.twitter.com/Lo6GC9jJpk
— Shaker's TV 📺 (@obikekz) August 29, 2022
@MGsadeeq32 said, “If six months cannot change anything I wonder what will. ASUU should tell the Nigerian student the truth. U can’t play politics with the lives of the youth and get away with it.”
#ASUUStrikeMustEnd if six months cannot change anything i wonder what will. #ASUU should tell the Nigerian student the truth. U can’t play politics with the life’s of the youth and get away with it
— Sadeeq Maigishiri (@MGsadeeq32) August 29, 2022
What you should know
- ASUU had on February 14, 2022, embarked on a 4-week total and comprehensive strike to press home their unresolved demands on the federal government.
- Some of the lecturers’ demands include funding for the revitalisation of public universities, which amounts to N1.1 trillion, payment of earned academic allowances, and adoption of the University Transparency Accountability Solution (UTAS) as a preferred payment option, instead of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) and payment of promotion arrears.
- Others are the renegotiation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement and the resolution of inconsistencies in the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS).
- The Federal Government’s Briggs renegotiation committee, had since April 2022, been meeting with ASUU and other labour unions in the universities, who went on strike due to its dispute with the government and non-resolution of demands of the 2009 agreements signed with the federal government.
- After further extensions of the industrial action, ASUU remained adamant in its resolve to press on with its demand as it once again on August 1 extended its ongoing strike by another 4 weeks to give the Federal Government more time to resolve outstanding issues in its dispute with it.
IT IS GOING TO HAPPEN THE DESERVED SCORN FOR ASUU FOR THE MOST ABSURDITY OF ALL TIMES.
About time people turn against their stupid insensitivity and senseless obstinacy.
ASUU HAS OVERPLAYED ITS HANDS AND OVER DONE IT.