Latest 2020 Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) Strike Update | CHECK NOW

The Latest Academic Staff Union of Universities in short “ASUU” 2020 Strike Update has been released. This post contains the latest update about the ongoing 2020 ASUU strike.

Latest 2020 Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) Strike Update | CHECK NOW

Latest Update: ASUU Calls Off 10 Months Old Strike Conditionally (December 23, 2020)

If you are a Nigerian student, parents, or guardian, then this article will be giving you the Latest ASUU Strike Update. The nine months old strike of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has been suspended by the body on Wednesday 23rd December 2020. The announcement was made by the National President of ASUU, Biodun Ogunyemi during a briefing in Abuja.

The president maintained that the development followed the consultations with its National Executive Council (NEC). According to him, the Academic Staff Union of Universities and Nigeria (the federal government) has finally come to an agreement on major issues that will lead to the termination of the 10-month-old strike.

The president warned that there would be no hesitation on the side of the lecturers to return to the strike without notice if the government does not maintain its own end of the agreement that has been reached with the union. He also stated that due to the second wave of COVID 19 pandemic, the reopening of schools lies with the Federal and State governments.

Remember that the industrial action was embarked upon by ASUU on the 23rd of March 2020 owing to the disagreements with the Federal Government.

Update as of 15th December 2020

As a Nigerian Student, Parent, and Guardian, you are always in need of information about the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Federal Government. Today, we will be giving you the Latest ASUU Strike Update. The Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) is in receipt of information credited to the University Administration that “the University reopens for activities an 20 December, 2020”.

The general public (students and parents in particular) are hereby notified by the Ambrose Alli University’s Chapter of ASUU that the nationwide strike which was approved by the ASUU national body early this year by March has not been suspended to necessitate the reopening of the University.

The University Chapter of ASUU totally supports the ongoing drive that is aimed at revitalizing public universities which includes the university chapter AAU, Ekpoma. Only the national leadership of ASUU can call of the strike and as such the strike has not been suspended.

The students of AAU, Ekpoma are herby informed by the ASSU AAU Ekpoma that the strike is still fully on and the school supports the strike like other branches in public universities and as such they should be fully guided and not put the lives of their students at risk by letting them unnecessarily risk their lives on the treacherous roads because of a purported news of resumption of academic activities in the University.

The Union is of a strong view that it will be counterproductive to reopen the University when there will be no members available to give attendance to students in any way or teach because of the on-on-going strike. It should be noted that the strike is total, it is indefinite and comprehensive.

Strike Continues as Meeting between the FG and ASUU gets Postponed Again

The ongoing ASUU strike has once again halted the hope of students who are eager to resume academic activities as there has been another postponement of the meeting between the Federal Government and the leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). The meeting was canceled by the Ministry of Labour and Employment.

This makes it the second time in two weeks that there has been a hindrance in the meeting between both parties like the one that was earlier slated for December 9 2020 was also canceled. The announcement was made by the Deputy Director of Press and Public Relations in the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Charles Akpan. However, the reasons for the cancellation of the meeting were not given by him.

The president of ASUU, Biodun Ogunyemi made a statement that there was no agreement of a meeting with the government by the union. He stressed that consultation is still being made with the organs of ASUU on the latest offer made by the government.

Update as of December 9, 2020

This post will be giving all Nigerian students, parents, and the general public the Latest ASUU Strike Update. Recently, Senator Chris Ngige, the Minister of Labour and Employment maintained that the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASSU) had agreed to call off their strike action before the 9th of December 2020. According to the Minister, the agreement was made at the last meeting ASUU has with the government team.

The information was made known to the public by Ngige through a statement he made on Tuesday from his media office titled ‘We have kept our promises to ASUU – FG’. It was maintained by him that the federal government has delivered its offers made to the union.

Part of the statement which he gave read “The N40b Earned Academic Allowances have also been processed just as the N30bn revitalization funds, bringing it to N70bn. Likewise, the visitation panels for the universities have been approved by the President but the panel cannot perform its responsibilities until the shut universities are re-opened”.

This statement was made after the president of ASSU Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi blamed the federal government for the failure of the union to call off its strike action noting that until the salary arrears of lecturers were paid, they will not return to classes.

According to the Minister, it was false and discomforting for ASSU to inform the public wrongly that the government agreed to make payment of all the withheld salaries before it will resume work. He also added that the timelines attached to the various offers which have been made to the union have been complied with.

ASUU Denies Claims to Call off Strike on December 9

The allegations that the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has come to an agreement with the federal government that it will call off its strike action on December 9 2020 has been denied by the ASUU president. It was made clear by the president of ASUU Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi on Wednesday in a statement that representatives of the union holds no power to suspend the industrial action.

Part of the statement which the president made reads “To put the records straight, the Principal Officers and Trustees who constitute the core of representatives of ASUU at negotiation meetings with the government are not constitutionally empowered to suspend any strike action. Whatever comes out of an engagement with agents of the government is an offer that must be taken back to the branches through the various organs of the union”.

The president stated that due process which involves transmitting the outcome of the negotiations had with the federal government to members and the National Executive Council (NEC) of ASUU in order to deliberate further on strike issues must be followed.

Recall that this statement was made after the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige said that an agreement had been reached by the federal government and ASUU and the strike action would be called off on said date.

NANS Threatens to Shut down Private Universities if ASUU Strike Persists

A vow has been made by the president of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Sunday Asefon that all private universities in the country would be shut down if the disagreement between the federal government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) is not quickly resolved.

This was made known by the NANS president during an online interview. According to him, the federal government representatives and the leaders of ASUU would be engaged by the student body to find a lasting solution to the lingering strike.

The student leader stressed that the students are at the receiving end of the impasse and that the ongoing strike has been recorded to be the longest strike embarked upon by the university lecturers. The student leader called for both parties to shift grounds to ensure that students go back to their classrooms.

He made it known that they have three Cs and have currently embarked in the first ‘C’ which is ‘Consultation’. He stated that they are going to ‘Consolidate’ on their ‘Consultation’. Before the end of the year, they plan to get to a stage where the two parties (ASUU and FG) will be seated on a roundtable. The two parties will be forced to make a decision since their actions are currently toying with the lives of Nigerian Students.

If the issue between both parties is not resolved, then NANS will embark on the third C which is ‘Confrontation’. All private universities across the country will be shut down. After that, NANS will engage in mass action. This is because the majority of the children of ASUU (members) and the rich are schooling under private universities and they are not affected. This is the reason they are toying with the lives of the common Nigerian Students as stated by the president of NANS.

FG-ASUU Meeting Postponed

It was reported that the meeting between the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Federal Government was scheduled to hold on 9th December 2020 has postponed by the federal government. The information concerning the postponement was contained in a message from Mr. Charles Akpan, Deputy Director, Ministry of Labour and Employment.

It was earlier disclosed by the Minister of Labour Dr. Chris Ngige that the Federal Government has kept its promises with the lecturers of the university. He also added that the government complied faithfully with the timelines in its offer to the union. His statement went thus:

“For instance, the Federal Government promised to constitute a Negotiation Committee for the 2009 Agreement and has fulfilled it with the last week’s inauguration of the committee that has Prof. Muzali as chairman.”

“The  N40b Earned Academic Allowances/ Earned Allowances h

December 1, 2020

This news was passed out by Sen. Chris Ngige, Minister of the Labor and employment, at the finalization of the meeting held behind closed doors.

This is to inform all Nigerian students, parents, and the general public about the Latest ASUU Strike Update. On Tuesday 1st December 2020, the Presidents of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi revealed that the national leadership of the union is still consulting with its members on what will be its reply to the offers made by the federal government.

His statement went thus “We have what the government is offering and have transmitted same to our members nationwide and we are consulting on what the next line of action will be. You know a tree does not make a forest and our union is democratic in nature and practice”.

He, however, made mention that he doesn’t know how long the consultation will take but he stated that it may go beyond this week. The decision to be reached however will be in national interest, the interest of the Nigerian children, the interest of ASSU members, and the good of all as stated by the national president.

Remember that the government had made a promise to pay the withheld salaries of lecturers ranging from four to eight months after a series of meetings had been held. The government also promised to release the sum of N75 billion for the revitalization of the educational system and the payment of the Earned Academic Allowance (EAA).

December 2, 2020

The federal government has reconstituted its team on the renegotiation of the 2009 agreement with ASSU in order to end the eighth-month-old strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities.

On Wednesday 2nd December 2020, the Minister of Education Adamu Adamu revealed this while inaugurating a team that has been categorized into substantive members, advisers, and observers and is led by Professor Emeritus Munzali Jibril. The team is expected to take another look at the 2009 agreements reached with the university-based unions and each union is to work together towards making recommendations that are far-reaching and will reposition the Nigerian university system.

Measures that are short, medium, and long term for the sustainable funding and management of federal universities will be proposed by the inaugurated body according to the Minister of Education. Other recommendations will also be made by the team to ensure the realistic implementation of future agreements by all stakeholders.

Adamu noted that progress has been made in talks geared towards ensuring an end to recurring issues while decrying the strike actions which have affected the university system over the years. The Minister remarked that there is a possibility that public universities will soon reopen for academic activities.

Everyone is urged by the Minister to play their part in restoring confidence in university education. The government was thanked by the chairman of the committee, Munzali Jibril in his remark for considering them worthy of the task. He also added that the committee will begin work promptly with the aim of achieving good results within a short time.

Federal Government & ASUU Still at Loggerheads as Renegotiation Date is yet to be Fixed

November 18, 2020

There is still a disagreement between the Federal government and ASUU as both parties are yet to schedule to resume negotiations that will bring about a peaceful resolution of the over eight months old strike.

While addressing the strike issue in Abuja, the Permanent Secretary to the Federal Ministry of Education, Mr Sonny Echonu once again mentioned that the ongoing strike is uncalled for and not necessary, as there is shared acceptance of so many of the issues. He also said that all the contending issues have been resolved except one.

The Permanent Secretary mentioned that work is ongoing, stressed that reason is expected to prevail. Mr Echonu once again mentioned the fact that the overall national interest will be the guiding principle to produce a quick resolution of the strike.

However, the National President of ASUU, Professor Biodun Ogunyemi criticized the claims the permanent secretary made. He revealed that unresolved issues such as withheld salaries of members, presentation of the visitation panel, the announcement of negotiating teams, among others, have not been addressed.

He called on the Federal Government to handle the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) complaints with all the seriousness required, stressing that poor handling of the issue could lead to another wave of brain drain which will have a crippling effect on the academia and the nation at large.

According to him, members of ASUU will not return to the classroom until the promises made by the government are satisfactorily met, stressing that there is a difference between addressing issues and delivering on all of the issues.

Federal Government Plans to Explore other Options if Strike Persist

November 16 2020.

Chris Nguge, the Minister of Labour and Employment, has revealed that the Federal Government has to explore other options within the labour law if the disagreement between ASUU and the Federal Government persist.

The minister further disclosed that the Federal Government has met six, out of ASUU’s nine demands. Members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and Representatives of the Federal Government are expected to meet again this week to resolve the lingering crisis.

The Latest ASUU 2020 Strike Update

As stated by him, there are three main issues and one of them includes the revitalization fund where the government gave N20 billion to ASUU, in good faith based on the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) entered into in 2013 and because of the renegotiation with the then government in the year 2009 of which this present government is still committed to.

“This government does not stand against revitalization but this government is saying that because of the dare economic issues that took place due to COV1D-19, we cannot pay the N110 billion which they are requesting for the revitalization.

“We offered N20 billion as revitalization fund. On Earned Academic Allowances (EAA), the government has granted N30 billion to all the unions that are in the universities, adding to it, making it N50 billion altogether.

“ASUU has made it clear that the N30 billion is expected to be for lecturers alone, without minding the fact that there are three other unions. So, there will be some problems there. We do not have any money to offer apart from this N30 billion,” he said.

He further stated that the University Transparency and Accountability (UTAS) was the cardinal issue versus the Integrated Payroll Personnel Information System (IPPIS). Ngige also stated that ASUU had submitted its document on UTAS for the onward submission to the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) to carry out an integrity test.

“This test is expected to hold and be conducted without fear or favor and as early as possible. So, the documents for onward transmission to NITDA have been submitted. “One another issue that has arisen is the issue of the transition period. How do ASUU get the Earned Academic Allowances that is due to them and any other entitlement that government wants to pay them,” he said.

He stated that ASUU wanted an exemption from IPPIS but IPPIS is the only government-approved payment platform and that is the main situation that they are facing at the moment.

He also stated that both the two parties will have to return to their principals; adding that ASUU will be sent on the irreducible minimum of what the Federal Government will be offering.

“The government side is expected to meet on Friday, and after that, they would have to communicate to ASUU and in communicating them, if a meeting needs to be held, a date would be set,” he said. Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, ASUU President said that the union is to await the Federal Government to meet on Friday and get back to the union the following week.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here