ASUU CALLS OFF STRIKE, SAYS ISSUES IN DISPUTE NOT YET SACTISFACTORILY ADDRESSED

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASSU) on friday announced that its eight months strike has been called off despite unsatisfactory resolution of the issues that led to the dispute. 

The announcement was made after a meeting of the National Executive Council of ASUU in Abuja which was precipitated by the order of the appeal court to call off the strike. 

A press statement issued by the President of ASUU Prof Emmanuel Osodeke after the meeting commended efforts of the house of representatives and other patriotic Nigerians involved in the matter but “noted with regrets that the issues in dispute are yet to be sactisfactorily addressed”. 

He said that the decision to call off the strike is in adherence to rule of law, respect for President Muhammadu and other citizens who intervened in the dispute. 

“As law abiding union and indeference to appeals by the president and commander in chief of armed forces of Nigeria, His Excellency President Muhammadu Buhari, and in recognition of the efforts of the speaker of the house of representatives Rt.Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila and other well meaning Nigerians ASUU NEC resolved to suspend the strike action embarked upon on 14th february 2022”.

He directed that all members of ASUU should resume all services hitherto withdrawn with effect from 12:01 on friday, 14th October 2022″.

According to the statement, issues in the dispute are the release of revitalisation funds of public universities, earned academic allowances for its members, a halt to the proliferation of public universities, the release of white papers from the reports of the presidential visitation panels to the universities and the adoption of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) as a payment platform for university staff.

The resumption was ordered by the appeal court as condition for the appeal by ASUU to be heard.