The Academic Staff Union of Universities has stressed that the one month renegotiation window given to the federal government should be used judiciously to achieve a holistic resolution of their demands, particularly an upward review of the poor salaries paid to academics
in Nigeria public Universities.
This was the submission made by the Union at the South South Zonal press conference
organised by the University of Port Harcourt branch held at ASUU-UNIPORT Secretariat, Delta Park Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The Zonal Coordinator, ASUU port harcourt , Comrade Uzoma Chima explained that the National Executive Council, NEC after an emergency meeting suspended its warning strike to allow for further engagement with the Federal Government on their lingering demands within the one
month period .
Comrade Chima called on the federal government to reciprocate the good gesture by the Union in suspending the warning strike with a quick completion of the renegotiation.
‘The part-payment of promotion arrears dating back to 2017 and the release of third-party deductions made from our member salaries some years ago must not be framed as the substantial issues of the negotiation process. The current framing of government implementation is not a true reflection of reality, and this hint of insincerity is not healthy for the ongoing renegotiation. Government’s objective must not be to win the narrative but to sincerely resolve the outstanding issues’.
News: FG Releases ₦2.3bn To ASUU
‘ Our demand is not outrageous. The surest way to protect the future of our country is to invest in education as it remains the bedrock of any country or society. That the poor remuneration of academics and the current state of education in Nigeria appear not to be issues of great concern to the government remain a wonder’ Comrade Chima stated.
The ASUU port Harcout Zonal Coordinator frowned at some government functionaries who undermine the negotiation process by the misrepresentation of its offer and implementation of agreements.
‘Nigerian University Lecturers are the worst aid in Africa with a professor aid a monthly salary that is less than US$400. It may also interest you to note that our members have remained on very poor salaries since the last sixteen years due to the unwillingness of the Federal Government to renegotiate the existing agreement.
Contrary to the claim of paucity of funds and economic downturn, available evidence shows that there has been a quantum leap in the revenue profile of both the federal and state governments. Therefore, It is lack of political will and not economic factors that has been undermining the completion of this renegotiation process as the revenue profile above lends credence to this claim” the ASUU Port Harcourt Zonal Coordinator maintained.
The Union however used the occasion to call on traditional rulers,parents, students, the NLC and civil society to mediate to the Federal Government to address the issues and also conclude the renegotiation of the agreements in due course.
The South South Zonal press conference was well attended by ASUU chairmen of public Universities in the Zone including the chairman, ASUU UNIPORT branch, Comrade Omeh Ngwoke.
