The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has urged President Bola Tinubu to personally intervene in the ongoing conflict between the government and the university union to prevent another nationwide strike.
This appeal was made by the Lagos Zone of ASUU during a press conference on Friday, where Zonal Coordinator Professor Adelaja Odukoya addressed the media at Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU) in Ago Iwoye, Ogun State.
ASUU has accused the government of failing to uphold its commitments in the negotiations and agreements made with the union.
During a press conference at Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU) in Ago Iwoye, Ogun State, Zonal Coordinator Professor Adelaja Odukoya emphasized the need for President Bola Tinubu to urgently engage directly with ASUU’s leadership to prevent further damage to the nation’s educational sector.
Odukoya urged the President to take immediate action to address the issues plaguing the sector, asserting that the 36 state governors must also take urgent and positive steps to halt the “mindless and deliberate” destruction of education in the country.
ASUU highlighted several pending issues in its ongoing agitations, including the Federal Government’s refusal to sign and implement the renegotiated agreement from 2009, poor funding of universities, the unchecked proliferation of universities by state governments, and the non-payment of withheld salaries and Earned Academic Allowances (EAA).
Odukoya also called for the President’s urgent intervention regarding the controversial Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS).
Before another round of crisis, the issues in contentions do not require rocket science to resolve. All the issues in contention can be immediately resolved if President (Bola) Tinubu as the Commander- in-Chief would perform the functions of his office by immediately interface directly with the leadership of our union.
“The deliberate refusal of corrupt Government and Ministry officials to migrate the University Payroll System away from IPPIS is unfortunate, condemnable and a confirmation that Nigeria is a becoming lawless State. It confirms that certain beneficial elements within government and their collaborators are bent on continuing to defraud our members and the universities,” Odukoya said.