Latest ASUU News On Resumption, ASUU Strike Update Today, 27th August 2022

Latest ASUU News On Resumption, ASUU Strike Update Today, 27th August 2022

Flippstack has compiled the latest ASUU news on the current strike embarked by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU),  a Nigerian union of university academic staff. Latest ASUU News On Resumption 27th August 2022

This means the latest asuu strike news, asuu strike update today, asuu news, asuu latest strike news, asuu latest news on resumption, asuu strike update, and all asuu news stories compiled by Flippstack can be accessed on this page

Below is the latest Asuu strike update, asuu latest news on resumption and ASUU strike news today, Saturday, 27th August 2022

Latest ASUU News On Resumption 27th August 2022

Education Minister Jets Out Of Nigeria Amidst Lingering ASUU Strike

The Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu has reportedly traveled out of the country, amidst the ongoing strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

Naija News reports that the latest development was made known on Thursday, in Abuja after an inquiry to get the latest update on the face-off between the government and ASUU.

The source who spoke with PUNCH confirmed that the supervisory minister in charge of negotiation with the academic body (ASUU) has jetted out of the country.

Although the country where the minister went to, and the reason for the travel were not revealed, however, Adamu is expected to come back to the country on 2nd, September 2022.

ASUU to discipline members for sharing palliatives from Orji Kalu

Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, MOUAU, chapter, has disowned its members that visited Senator Orji Kalu recently at his Igbere country home.

The union, in a statement issued yesterday, in Umuahia, dissociated itself from the said visit, which it said it was not privy to and never authorised.

In the statement, jointly signed by the Chairman, Professor Michael Ugwuene, and Secretary, Paul Nwiyi, the branch vowed to probe the said visit and discipline those found culpable.

“ASUU MOUAU hereby dissociates itself from the aforementioned visit and the consequent palliative sharing,” the statement said.

It further read: “The attention of ASUU MOUAU, has been drawn to reports in the media about the visit by some academic staff of MOUAU to Senator Orji Uzor Kalu at his Igbere home, where according to the reports, the striking lecturers” were given palliatives and enjoined to end the strike.

“The public is hereby enjoined to take notice that ASUU MOUAU was not aware of, was not invited, and did not authorize or approve any such visit and did not request for, neither did it receive any palliatives from Senator Orji Uzor Kalu.

“ASUU MOUAU, hereby assures the National Executive Council of ASUU that the branch is investigating the visit and the members of the branch found culpable shall be subjected to the disciplinary process of the union.”

Meanwhile, the union, in a separate statement, rejected the proposed 35 percent and 25 percent salary increases for professors and other ranks, respectively.

ASUU States Conditions To End Strike Immediately

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), on Thursday, revealed how the Federal Government can resolve its lingering strike in one day.

The National President of the union, Emmanuel Osodeke, said the industrial action will end if the federal government prioritizes its demands.

Osodeke during an interview on Arise TV said leaders in Nigeria would look for an end to the strike if their children were schooled in the country.

He further stated that if the children of Nigerian leaders are schooled in the country they will feel the suffering that they are going through.

The ASUU president charged Government to prioritize education like Nnamdi Azikiwe and Awolowo and older leaders did in the past.

Ekiti State University Calls Off ASUU Strike, Directs Newly Admitted Students To Resume

The Ekiti State University (EKSU) chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has called off its industrial action.

Naija News learnt that stakeholders in the University met on Sunday, 21st August 2022 to discuss issues on the lingering strike.

The stakeholders noted that the strike is having a socio-economic effect on lecturers and all other stakeholders (parents, children, alumni).

Participants at the meeting said in the interest of the student, it is important for all members of staff currently on strike at the University to resume official activities.

The stakeholders also charged the University Management to reopen the university without further delay for the continuation of academic activities.

EKSU directed all newly-admitted students for the 2021/2022 academic session to resume on Monday, August 29, 2022, for screening, registration and orientation programme. Latest ASUU News On Resumption 27th August 2022

Frustrated Parents Decide To Assist Buhari Govt Financially In Generating Income For ASUU

The National Parent-Teacher Association of Nigeria (NAPTAN) has sought the audience of the Federal Government over the ongoing Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) industrial action.

The parents are proposing to assist with the demands of the union by offering to pay a levy of N10, 000 per session to help the government in making more funds available for universities.

NAPTAN’s Public Relations Officer, Dr. Ademola Ekundayo, disclosed this during an interview with PUNCH on Tuesday.

Ekundayo, while complaining about the prolonged strike, said parents were at the receiving end of the continuous battle between ASUU and the government.

He said, “We have submitted a letter to the Office of the Education Minister, seeking for the audience where we hope to discuss a proposal.

“We are proposing a sum of N10, 000 per parent every session that will be directly paid to the universities. That will be our own contribution apart from other statutory payments in making more funds available to the universities.

“It can be called parent support levy for universities. We are at the receiving end of the industrial action. We plead with the ASUU and Federal Government to immediately resolve their differences.”

Adeyanju Backs ASUU On Continuous Industrial Action

Socio-political activist, Deji Adeyanju has backed the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to continue its ongoing strike.

Recall that the National President of ASUU, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, had said the National Executive Council (NEC) of the union is set to meet next week Monday to deliberate on some issues.

He said the union’s NEC would meet and consider the offers by the Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government for it to end its ongoing strike.

Osodeke, however, said his union was yet to get any offer from the Buhari government officially.

Recall that ASUU, who had been on strike since February 14, had three weeks ago extended it for another four weeks that would terminate next Monday.

Taking to his Twitter page on Monday, Adeyanju supported the union to continue the industrial action and asked the lecturers to resist the bullying and tyranny of the federal government.

He said if the country’s educational system was working, many Nigerians will not be paying millions in private universities nor will politicians’ children be going abroad.

He wrote: “ASUU has my 100% support to continue the strike. They should resist the bullying and tyranny of the Govt. If our educational system was working, many of us will not be paying millions in private universities neither will politicians’ kids be going abroad. ALUTA CONTINUA!”

ASUU Fixes Date To Consider FG’s Offer, Decide On Calling Off Strike

The National Executive Council (NEC) of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) is set to meet next week Monday to consider the offers by the Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government for it to end its ongoing strike.

Recall that ASUU, who had been on strike since February 14, had three weeks ago extended it for another four weeks that would terminate next Monday.

It was gathered that the meeting of ASUU’s NEC may also determine whether the present administration would penalise the union.

Speaking to Vanguard, the National President of ASUU, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, said his union was yet to get any offer from the Buhari government officially.

He said: “We have been negotiating with them through collective bargaining, and whatever they have should not be made to us on the pages of newspapers. It should be done the way it is expected to be done. Our main problem with the government is that there is trust deficit. They will say something and will do another thing.

“After the Memorandum of Action was signed last year with them, they were supposed to pay some money in two tranches starting from August last year, but they did not do the needful.

“As for other unions suspending their actions, ASUU is not a one-man show. We will look collectively at whatever is presented to us. But as of now, nothing has been officially offered.”

FG Mulls Proscription Of ASUU Over Lingering Strike

The Federal Government is considering proscribing the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) if it fails to call off the prolonged strike.

the government is mulling the action after it approved an additional N100 billion for the university sector as part of the understanding in the re-negotiation of the 2009 Agreement.

The Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, had also disclosed that N50 billion was equally approved to be shared by the university-based unions as earned allowances.

The four unions are ASUU, the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), the Non-Academic Union of Education and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT).

In a chat with Vanguard, multiple sources in the Presidency and the Ministry of Education said the government is considering proscribing ASUU after an offer was made to the union.

One of the sources said the government has approved a 35 per cent increase in salary for professors and a 23.5 per cent increase for other lecturers.

He added that the government also approved N50 billion for earned allowances for the striking unions, stressing that there is no need for ASUU to continue their strike.

He said: “Because of the priority President Muhammadu Buhari has paid to education, he has approved an additional N100 billion for the universities and about N57 billion for the Polytechnics and Colleges of Education.

“This is part of the understanding with the unions on the re-negotiation of the 2009 Agreement. The government has also approved a 35 per cent increase in salary for professors and a 23.5 per cent increase for other lecturers. The government also approved N50 billion for earned allowances for the striking unions.

“It will be unpatriotic on the side of ASUU not to reciprocate the government gesture and call off the strike for our children to go back to school. The government is not also unmindful of the cooperation of SSANU and NASU for being patriotic.

ASUU Strike: Mass Resignation As Lecturers Dump Universities For Greener Pasture Abroad

As the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike lingers, the National President of the union, Emmanuel Osodeke has raised alarm over the mass resignation of lecturers from the nation’s universities for greener pastures abroad.

Emmanuel who spoke with PUNCH on Sunday lamented that many lecturers are now engaged in farming and other economic activities, while a large number have left the country.

The union President said many of its members were forced to venture into other sources of livelihood over the Federal Government’s refusal to meet some of their demands, including payment of seven months’ backlog of salaries accrued during the strike.

Osodeke expressed concern for the country, stressing that the FG believes it is punishing lecturers but the action is to the detriment of Nigeria.

He: “So many lecturers are leaving to engage in farming and others; lecturers are tired of the treatment they’re receiving from the government and because of this, they are looking for alternatives. So many more will leave even after the strike too.

‘’I pity the country; Nigeria will be the loser for it. Instead of coming to the table; look at how they will solve the issue, rather, they believe in punishing lecturers. It’s so sad. Your lecturers went on strike, you believe they will become hungry and come back to beg. Many lecturers will also leave to venture into other areas; some are also looking at becoming self-employed.”

Strike Continues As ASUU, FG Meeting Ends In Deadlock

The lingering strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) looks set to continue after the association’s meeting with the Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government ended in deadlock on Tuesday.

Flippstack understands that a team of the Federal Government led by Nimi Briggs met with the representatives of ASUU at the headquarters of the National Universities Commission (NUC).

However, reports revealed that the team did not place any fresh offer before ASUU, it only begged the union to suspend its ongoing strike.

“The meet with the FG’s team was headed by Professor Nimi Briggs and it started by 12:00pm and ended by 3:00pm. There was no new offer on the table, they simply begged us to call off the strike,” the top ASUU official told The PUNCH.

“The lecturers left angrily, though we cannot really ascertain what was discussed with them as you can see, we were not invited, but the proposal presented was rejected”, a top ministry official also added.

Also speaking at the meeting, a member of the ASUU National Executive Committee stated that the government was “unserious” with the negotiations.

He said, “They are not serious. I can’t go over the details with you because the president is responsible for disseminating the information. The proposal presented was unreasonable. There is no hope in sight.”

On his part, ASUU president, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke told The PUNCH that, ‘‘It wasn’t good,” referring to the meeting.

“We didn’t sign anything; they did not come with anything good. I can’t go into details. We will talk to our members first before we talk to the press. We represent our members.’’

ASUU Speaks On When Strike Will End As Union Meets FG Today

The national president of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke on Monday stated that the union would meet with the Federal Government today (Tuesday).

According to Osodeke, the union and the Federal Government are meeting to address its demands which led to the ongoing strike.

The ASUU President speaking on when the union would end its strike said the decision of the Federal Government would determine the next step.

Osodeke while speaking during an interview on Channels TV said ASUU will call off the strike if the Federal Government agreed to its demands at the meeting.

He said, “If we go into that meeting tomorrow and the government says, what you have bargained for, we are willing to sign, the strike will be called off.”

This is coming after the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo blamed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the ongoing industrial action of the ASUU.

According to Keyamo, ASUU is on strike because of the agreement the PDP-led government signed with the union in 2009.

Keyamo further stated that between 1999 and 2015, when the All Progressives Congress took over power, ASUU has gone on strike 12 times, amounting to 900 days. Latest ASUU News On Resumption 27th August 2022

PDP Responsible For Lingering ASUU Strike – Keyamo

The Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, has blamed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the ongoing industrial action of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

According to Keyamo, ASUU is on strike because of the agreement the PDP-led government signed with the union in 2009.

Keyamo further stated that between 1999 and 2015, when the All Progressives Congress took over power, ASUU has gone on strike 12 times, amounting to 900 days.

The minister stated this on Monday during an interview with Trust Tv.

He said, “The ASUU thing you are talking about. What is the problem of ASUU now? It’s the 2009 agreement signed by the PDP government. They signed agreements with ASUU that they couldn’t fulfil. We had to inherit those agreements and now struggling to renegotiate those agreements.

“Imagine how irresponsible a government can be when they went into agreements with ASUU and signed conditions that they couldn’t fulfil and that is why ASUU is on strike so let us tell Nigerians that ASUU is not on strike because APC signed an agreement with them. It was the PDP that signed the agreement.

“We are not shifting blame; we are going to tackle the problem. Between 1999 and 2015 when they handed over to the APC, ASUU was on strike 12 times. I have the statistics amounting to 900 days.”

ASUU: Atiku Comment Is A Reflection Of His Dishonesty – Sowore Group Slams Ex-VP

The campaign organisation for the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, Omoyele Sowore has berated the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, over his comments on the ongoing Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, strike.

On Friday the PDP flag bearer at a youth programme to commemorate International Youth Day 2022, stated that he was not pleased with the ASUU strike while also condemning the All Progressives Congress-led government for their inability to resolve the strike.

Atiku insisted that such a situation would never occur in his administration.

Reacting to Atiku’s declaration via a statement signed by the Spokesperson for Sowore 2023 Presidential Campaign organisation, Onyinye-Gandhi Chukwunyere, the group noted that such a statement claiming that an ASUU strike would never occur in his administration was a “reflection of Atiku’s dishonesty with the Nigerian people.”

The statement reads: “We wish to remind Mr Atiku that under the PDP government, with him as Vice President from 1999 to 2007, the nation’s education sector was woefully neglected and grossly underfunded. Indeed, the seeds of the current crisis in the sector were sown by that administration, and it was under its watch that the shameful trend of incessant ASUU strikes began.

“Atiku and his PDP oversaw about seven industrial actions by ASUU, including a major strike in 2003 which kept Nigerian students at home for about six months.

“The PDP’s disdain for the education of Nigerians was so pronounced that its budgetary allocations to education consistently remained below nine per cent of the national budget, and sign off the 25% recommendation of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation.”

ASUU: It Is Destructive To Pay Workers On Strike – Dr Salihu Lukman

The National Vice Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Salihu Lukman has said that it is a destructive culture for the Federal Government to pay lectures despite being on strike.

Flippstack understands that Lukman shared his opinion on the strike during an interaction with journalists on Sunday in Abuja.

The APC chieftain insisted that it was high time to regulate the conduct of ASUU in a way that would benefit the younger generation.

He condemned the inadequate funding of the educational sector insisting that no country advances through private funding of public education.

He blamed the romance of the Ibrahim Babangida regime with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank policies which imposed the Structural Adjustment Programme which he said led to the collapse of investment in education. Latest ASUU News On Resumption 27th August 2022

FG can fund education without borrowing – ASUU

The Academic Staff Union of Universities has said the Federal Government has money to fund its demand but remains adamant about improving the education sector in the country.

ASUU President, Prof.Emmanuel Osodeke, stated that the union did not tell the Federal Government to borrow to fund its demand.

He said tertiary institutions in the country had suffered enough setbacks, hence the authorities should be awake to their obligations.

He said, “Who is asking them to borrow? They (Federal Government) have the money. If they can release N400bn for trader money, did they borrow that? Is trader money more important than universities being closed?

“If they dedicate N200bn for feeding of children in school, which we don’t see; if they can be thinking of plea bargain with somebody who stole N80bn, they should let Nigerians know that they are not interested in education rather than giving flimsy excuses.

“We are not asking the government to borrow; we say they should fund education.”

Recall that the Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, earlier stated that the government can’t borrow N1.1trn to meet ASUU’s demand.

Umahi while receiving members of the Board of Trustees of the Nigeria Police Trust Fund in Abakaliki, the state capital, said, “There is no way the country will go and borrow N1.1trn to meet ASUU’s demand. It’s quite unreasonable. Are their demands genuine? Yes, but we can start little by little.”

Reacting, the ASUU president said, “Is he the spokesman for the government? We will not respond to him.”

In the same vein, the National Association of Parents Teachers Association of Nigeria, President, Mr Haruna Danjuma, stated that the Ebonyi State governor was speaking his own view.

He said, “I believe that’s Umahi’s view and he is not speaking for Mr. President or for the Federal Government. We also have a Minister of Education. So, I take it to be his view.

“Parents are not saying that the Federal Government should borrow such an amount to equip our university and I don’t think ASUU told the Federal Government to borrow money to fund the universities. It’s in the hands of the government to either borrow or not.

FG Did Not Tell Us They Can’t Meet Our Financial Demands – ASUU

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has said that the government has not at any point in time informed the union that they do not have the financial capacity to meet the union’s demand.

ASUU’s National President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, said this in an interview with Punch while reacting to recent comments by the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Mr Festus Keyamo; and Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, who claimed that it was unreasonable for the Federal Government to borrow over N1 trillion to meet ASUU’s demands.

The union has been on strike since February 14, 2022, after submitting its demands, with the strike entering its 180th day today, Friday.

Speaking on the union demands, Osodeke said: “Do you believe the FG has no money? Is Umahi the FG? Has the Minister of Education said so? Has the Minister of Finance said so? If the person directed to resolve a matter has not said so when interlopers are saying things, who will you believe?

“When did Umahi become the spokesperson for the FG? They can borrow money for Trader Moni, they can borrow money to feed schoolchildren in schools, they can borrow to buy vehicles for the Niger Republic, but they cannot borrow to fund education. We are tired too. If they want to close down all the universities formally, they should.”

When asked if ASUU was willing to bend its demands so the student would return to school, Osodeke stated that the major issue was the government agreeing to come to the negotiation table.

“It is not about ASUU bending its demands; our demands are with the government. They should come to us with what they want. We don’t have to beg them. We agreed on something and let them send it to us. We have reached a negotiation. Let them come and tell us what they can do,” he said. Latest ASUU News On Resumption 27th August 2022

ASUU Unreasonable With Its Demands – Umahi

Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State has said the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) is unreasonable with its demands in order to end the lingering strike.

Umahi said this on Wednesday when he received a delegation from the Nigeria Police Trust Fund led by Dr. Ben Akabueze, at the Government House in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi capital.

The Chairman of the South-East Governors’ Forum said the Muhammadu Buhari government cannot borrow N1.1 trillion to pay the striking members of the union.

The Governor, however, admitted that the ASUU demands are genuine, adding that the union and the government should come to some level of understanding during negotiation.

He said: “There is no way Nigeria will go and borrow N1.1tn to meet ASUU’s demand, it’s quite unreasonable. Are their demands genuine? Yes. But we can start little by little.

“There must be a commitment on the side of both parties that look, ‘ASUU is not asking for this to take to their houses’ so to say. It’s asking for it for our children, to better the infrastructure, to better the lecturers and the students.

“Yes, but we can start with a fraction of that and then have a programme that will run on the platform of sincerity to address all the lots.

“So, it is important for ASUU to show some understanding and for those who are negotiating on the side of government to also show some understanding.

“Let’s meet ourselves halfway and then open the schools to save the fate of our children.”

The governor, who equally faulted the poor maintenance culture in the country, added that there is a need to work on it.

He said: “But let me also say that most of the time, our people have a low appetite for maintenance of public works.

“No matter how much you deploy to these universities unless the users and the industry regulators begin to treat public infrastructure as their own in the various universities, it will continue to go bad.”

ASUU President Tackles Festus Keyamo Over Comment On Strike

The President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Emmanuel Osodeke, has tackled the Minister of Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, over his comment on the ongoing strike.

Naija News earlier reported that Keyamo during an interview on Channels TV on Friday accused ASUU of being unrealistic with their demands.

He stated that ASUU will not blackmail the government to borrow money to pay the striking members of ASUU amidst cash shortages when other sectors of the economy also need attention.

According to Keyamo, ASUU should be begged to shelve their strike so the members can return to work, students can resume studies and the nation’s public universities can be re-opened.

Speaking during an appearance on Channels Television on Monday, Osodeke expressed disappointment at the comments made by the minister on the union’s ongoing strike.

Osodeke said that the union embarked on the strike over the imminent collapse of Nigerian public universities and not over the welfare of lecturers.