ASUU Convenes NEC Meeting as Strike Enters Week Two

The National Executive Council (NEC) of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) is scheduled to meet today (Tuesday) to review the union’s position on its ongoing strike.

The meeting follows reports that the Federal Government’s Renegotiation Team, led by Alhaji Yayale Ahmed, presented a documented response to ASUU’s demands and made certain offers to the union during recent negotiations.

In its Strike Bulletin No. 2 issued on Monday, ASUU noted that progress had been made in some areas, including the release of third-party deductions, payment of promotion arrears, mainstreaming of Earned Academic Allowances (EAA), and the resolution of issues related to the University of Abuja land and victimisation of members at KSU, LASU, and FUTO.

Over the past week, ASUU branches across public universities held congresses to vote on whether to continue or suspend the strike. Reports indicate that a majority of branches voted in favour of continuing the industrial action.

An ASUU official who spoke to DAILY POST on condition of anonymity said,

“Almost everyone in our branch supported the continuation of the strike. We’re awaiting the NEC meeting to make our position official.”

The union had earlier issued a 14-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to conclude and implement the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU agreement and address other outstanding demands.

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Meanwhile, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has issued a four-week ultimatum to the government to meet ASUU’s demands or face a nationwide shutdown.
NLC President Joe Ajaero, speaking after a meeting with leaders of tertiary institution unions in Abuja, warned that failure to act within the timeframe would lead to an indefinite strike.

Also commenting on the situation, Nduka Odo, a public affairs analyst and lecturer at Peaceland University, Enugu, blamed the crisis on what he described as the government’s “passive attitude toward education.”

He said:

“No serious nation treats its education the way Nigeria does. The recurring strikes are not about ASUU being stubborn but about government neglect and unfulfilled agreements.”

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Odo urged the government to treat education as a national emergency, improve lecturers’ welfare, upgrade infrastructure, and honour all signed agreements, stressing that neglecting the academic sector undermines Nigeria’s future.