AS Nigerians await the decision of the Academic Staff Union of Universities on its latest strike threat, tension has heightened on campuses over the possibility of the lecturers embarking on another round of strike.
Findings by Sunday PUNCH revealed that while a good number of universities were preparing for examinations, some others including University of Abuja, have concluded plans to hold their convocation ceremony.
However, sources within the school confided in our correspondent that the convocation may be postponed should ASUU carry out its threat.
Sources within the Ministry of Sports and Youths Development also told our correspondent that the popular National Universities Games scheduled to hold at the University of Lagos between March 16 and March 26, 2022 may also be affected.
Sunday PUNCH reports that ASUU had expressed grievances over the failure of the Federal Government to fulfil some of the agreements it signed as far back as 2009. The union had on November 15, 2021 given the FG a three-week ultimatum over the failure to meet the demands.
The lecturers threatened to embark on another round of industrial action following alleged “government’s unfaithfulness” in the implementation of the Memorandum of Action it signed with the union, leading to the suspension of the 2020 strike action.
After the union’s National Executive Council meeting at the University of Abuja on November 13 and 14, ASUU President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, lamented that despite meeting with the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, on October 14, 2021, on issues, including funding for revitalisation of public universities, earned academic allowances, University Transparency Accountability Solution; promotion arrears, renegotiation of 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement, and the inconsistencies in the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System Payment, none of its demands had been met.
Following the threat, the Minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba, promised that the union would be paid.
A few weeks after, ASUU suspended the planned strike, as N22.1bn earned allowances was paid to lecturers in federal universities.
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