ASUU Calabar Zone Sets For Another Strike, Issues 14-Day Ultimatum
By Judex OKORO
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Calabar Zone says it is set for another industrial action should the federal government failed to honour it agreement with the union.
The Calabar Zone of ASUU leadership said the federal government has consistently failed to honour their own side of agreement even when the Union had issued a letter dated August 21, 2024 gave government a 21-day ultimatum for the resolution of all the issues in contention since 2009.
According to them, nothing tangible has changed safe for meetings and more meetings for which government agents were more concerned with receiving allowances for convening such meetings from tax-payers money and the funds that our Government claims it does not have.
In the statement signed by Comrade Happiness Uduk Zonal Chairman, ASUU Calabar Zone, Comrade Slessor C. Mbah Chairperson (ASUU ABSU), Comrade Frank Namso Obot Chairperson (ASUU AKSU), Comrade Ikechuku O. Igwenyi Chairperson (ASUU EBSU), Comrade Patrick Ushie Chairperson, (ASUU UNICROSS), Comrade Peter Ubi Chairperson, (ASUU UNICAL) and Comrade Opeyemi Olajide Chairperson (ASUU UNIUYO) and dated September 29, 2024, the Union added another 14 days to the earlier 21 days ultimatum it issued the government on September 23 to meet up with it demands.
ASUU marinated that they are committed to ensuring that the egacy struggle is achieved for the good of Nigerians and Nigeria, had mentioned ten (10) issues in contention including conclusion of the re-negotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU Agreement based on the Draft Agreement by the Nimi Briggs Committee in 2021, which is already out of date given the reality of the current Dollar/Naira ratio.
Other demands include "the release of the withheld three and a half months’ salaries as a result of the 2022 industrial action.
"The release of unpaid salaries for staff on sabbatical, part-time and adjunct which were affected by the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System otherwise called the IPPIS.
"The release of outstanding third-party deductions such as check-off dues and co-operative contributions by members, which were captured in the 2023 Federal budget."
It further demanded for the " funding for the revitalisation of public universities partly captured in the 2023 Federal Government budget among others.
"The failure of governments to implement contents of several Memoranda of Understanding and Action between 2013 and 2022 have particularly hampered access to wholesome industrial harmony in public Universities.
"Since the inception of this government, all efforts to get them to adopt and implement the said Agreement have been frustrated."
The Union stated that with the " current economic realities, even the wage award and palliative cannot replace the renegotiated agreement which was reached following the time-tried and honoured principle of collective bargaining.
"Equally very sad is the fact that Government has refused to even address issues that are non-monetary; the most visible being the exit of Universities from the obnoxious IPPIS in spite of a Presidential Directive and a Court order since Dec. 2023," it explained.
