ASUU Strike Update: Lecturers vow to continue with strike

Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has blamed the lingering strike on the chairman of universities’ NEEDS Assessment Committee and Governor of Benue State, Gabriel Suswam.

According to ASUU, the governor failed to advise the federal government properly.
ASUU, while accusing Suswam of trying to blackmail the Union, asserted that no amount of blackmail or intimidation would stop it from pursuing the implementation of the 2009 FG/ASUU agreement, which was the only way to end the impasse.

Fielding questions from newsmen at the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State, the Calabar Zone of the Union, led by Dr. Charles Ononuju, accused the NEEDS Committee of rushing to release money to pro-chancellors and Vice Chancellors, instead of addressing abnormalities in the NEEDS Report Implementation Committee.

He said: “Since the commencement of the strike, our union has met with government team for more than 11 times. After the last meeting, the
union raised some observations/abnormalities on the Governor Gabriel Suswan-led NEEDS Report Implementation Committee and communicated same to the chairman of the Committee, Governor Suswan, expecting a response.

“Rather than responding to the
observations raised by the union
that would usher in quick and peaceful resolution of the impasse, the government summoned a meeting with pro-chancellors and vice chancellors and offered to them N130 billion with a matching order for the lecturers to return to work, thereby pulling out of the dialogue.

“Government, by throwing arbitrary awards at the universities, has in effect repudiated the 2009 Agreement and the MoU of 2012 based on that agreement. We reject the arbitrary imposition of money from the government. What
makes a person, an organisation, including government honourable is honouring an agreement freely made.

“The government should honour the agreement it freely entered into with the union since 2009.
ASUU is not making any fresh demands. This is our position and where we stand and shall continue to stand.”
Speaking further, Ononuju also lambasted Governor Suswam for accusing the union of playing politics with its demands, describing the
governor’s position as “false, dishonest,
calculated to misinform the public and cause disaffection towards the union.”

“Rather than seek cheap popularity, he should take the part of honour by asking his principal to honour the agreement.
“We hereby call on our members and the
Nigerian people to reject this cheap blackmail and continue to stand on the path of truth and social justice.”

“No amount of blackmail will make the union jettison our resolve to get the government to implement the 2009 ASUU/FG Agreement and MoU of January 24, 2012.

“We wish to emphasise strongly here that our struggle has no political undertone as is being falsely and mischievously propagated. Those
saying otherwise are economical with the truth.”