ASUU may embark on fresh nation wide strike soon, says President

The Academic Staff Union of Universities has called on the Federal Government to resolve outstanding issues before the suspension of its 10-month strike to guarantee peace in universities.

The union said that the government was indebted to many of its members in different universities, with between three and 14 months arrears being owed.

ASUU President, Prof Emmanuel Osodeke, said these in an interview with Sunday PUNCH.

He was asked what would happen should the government remain recalcitrant, he said he would continue from where his predecessor, Prof Biodun Ogunyemi, stopped.

“It is continuity, we run a collective leadership. So, it’s continuity from where my immediate predecessor stopped. It (the crisis) is not yet over. The government has the opportunity to ensure that the crises are over. It is just to implement those things,” Osodeke said.

According to him, after developing the University Transparency and Accountability Solution as an alternative to the controversial Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System, ASUU members are “bleeding” while people are being paid what pleases the office of the Accountant General of the Federation.

Osodeke said, “You know we were on strike till late last year. We reached an agreement on how to implement the outstanding issue with the government. We will expect the government to implement those issues with timelines.”