ASUU-FG Meeting Ends In Deadlock Again | Details
A meeting between the Federal government and members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU ended in a deadlock on Tuesday August 16, with no end in sight to the lingering strike by the academic union, ChannelsTV.
The striking lecturers met with the Professor Nimi Briggs committee yesterday for about three hours at the National University Commission in Abuja in a bid to resolve the issues that led to the six-month and counting strike.
According to the striking lecturers who attended the meeting, the Federal government delegation did not come with any new offer to the table except to beg the lecturers to call off the strike with promises that their demands will be included in the 2023 budget.
ASUU’s Demands
ASUU embarked on a four-week warning strike on February 14.
On March 14, the union extended the industrial action by another two months to allow the government meet all of its demands. A 12-week extension was announced on May 9.
SEE ALSO: Update On The Ongoing Strike AS FG, ASUU Meet Today, August 16
Since May 9, the union has remained on strike, vowing to persist until its demands are met.
The academics are seeking improved welfare, revitalisation of public universities and academic autonomy among other demands.
One bone of contention for the academics is the non-payment of university revitalisation funds, which amounts to about N1.1 trillion.
But the Federal Government has said it doesn’t have the money to pay such an amount, citing low oil prices during the Muhammadu Buhari administration.
The agreement was struck in 2009.
Another is the issue of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).
The academics have proposed an alternative payroll system, the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS).