Asuu Strike Update: Strike continues as FG withholds Lecturers’ August Salary

Lecturers in the nation’s public universities on Monday vowed to continue with their indefinite strike, declaring that President Goodluck Jonathan’s decision to withhold their salaries would not stop their resolve to ensure the university system is made better once and for all.

“Yes, the non-payment of our August salary is another attempt by the government to stampede us into breaking the strike, and as usual, it will not work. The economic war the government is employing has never, and will never yield any dividend. Our next line of action is:

“To continue with the strike. We had, on July 2, commenced a total, comprehensive and indefinite strike action, and as long as the government does not meet our demand of implementing the FGN/ASUU 2009 agreement, the strike will continue.”The Chairman, Academic Staff Union of Universities, University of Abuja chapter, Dr. Clement Chup, stated this in a chat with Punch.

On comments by the leadership of NANS that the students were no longer supporting the strike, Chup said those making the call were “political and mercenary students.”

“The NANS that say they do not support us are the mercenary students. They are the political, non-matriculated students. Our genuine students do understand the issues that warranted the strike, and are fully in our support.”

He said government officials are only interested in awarding contracts in universities where they will benefit and not the quality of input and output in the higher institutions.