The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) through its Lagos Zone Coordinator, Prof. Olusoji Sowande at a news conference in Lagos on Tuesday, threatened to embark on a nationwide strike in regards to its demands for the implementation of its 2009 agreement with the Federal Government.
Sowande said the 2009 FG/ASUU agreement, Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on funding of state universities, breaches of the conditions of service and re-negotiation of the agreement, exclusion of Nigerian universities from Pension Management Company and non-release of NEEDS Assessment Intervention Fund were still being ignored. The
He said:
“The review of the agreement should have been undertaken in 2012 and 2015 but that did not happen. “The implication is that our union has shown enough patriotism and understanding on these matters in the last four years.
“We are perplexed and disappointed that both the Federal and State Governments are not responding to our consistent appeals to bring about genuine transformation in the education sector, ‘’ he said.
He said they would rather not embark on a strike because it is the Students and ASUU members that end up suffering. Adding:
“It is unfortunate that the only language government appears to respect and listens to is that of industrial action like strike”.