The Leader of the Nigerian House of Reps, Femi Gbajabiamila has said that the suspension of the 8-month ASUU strike is a call to action on a critical conversation about the future of public tertiary education in Nigeria, noting that the issues of the strike have still not been resolved.
He disclosed this in a statement on Friday following the suspension of the 8 Months strike by ASUU.
The Nigerian House of Reps negotiated an end to the strike after negotiations between Labour Ministry and ASUU broke down last month.
What he said:
He stated that he is pleased by the decision of ASUU to suspend their ongoing strike action,
” This decision is the right call as it allows students at public universities in the country to resume their academic activities”
He added that he is confident the House of Reps will endeavor that FG keeps its commitments to the union.
He noted that the suspension of the strike does not mean all the issues of funding education standards and student welfare have been resolved.
” Therefore, we must not rest on our oars. Instead, let this be a call to action for the government, universities, unions, and citizens to begin the critical conversation about the future of public tertiary education in the country
” I assure you that this is an objective the House of Reps will pursue with dedication and determination” he added.
What you should know
- ASUU President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke in a press statement on Friday, directed its members to resume all services hitherto withdrawn with effect from 12:01 on Friday.
- “ASUU NEC resolved to suspend the strike action embarked upon on Feb. 14.
“Consequently, all members of ASUU are hereby directed to resume all services hitherto withdrawn with effect from 12:01 on Friday, Oct. 14, ‘’he said. - ASUU had been on strike since February 14, 2022, to press home their unresolved demands with the federal government.
- Some of the lecturers’ demands include funding for the revitalization 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), payment of promotion arrears and the renegotiation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement.
