The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has denied claims that it reached an agreement with the federal government to suspend its ongoing strike today, December 9, 2020.
President of ASUU, Prof Biodun Ogunyemi in a statement made available to newsmen, wednesday night, said ASUU representatives do not have the powers to suspend or call off industrial action, but must follow due process which includes transmitting the outcome of negotiations to members and National Executive Council (NEC) of ASUU for further deliberations and actions.
In his words: “The leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has been inundated with enquiries on why the ongoing strike action has not been suspended.
This was sequel to the widely reported claims by some government agents that all the demands of ASUU have been met and that the union agreed to suspend the strike action today, 9th December 2020. Nothing can be farther from the truth!
“The ASUU leadership did not reach any understanding with the government to suspend the strike on 9th December 2020 and there is nothing in the government offer of 27th November 2020 to suggest that conclusion as allegedly claimed by the Minister of Labour and Employment.
“The leadership of ASUU has consistently stated at every meeting with high ranking government officials that the union’s representatives have no mandate to take the final decision on any strike action by the union.
All the leadership does is to present government offers through its organs, and that we have done faithfully in the current situation.”
He said the union representatives only told FG’s delegation that it would take the government’s offer to the branches through the various organs of the union and report back.
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