Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) branch, has expressed readiness of its members to join the impending nationwide indefinite strike if the Federal Government fails to do the needful.
Comrade Oyibo Eze, the Chairman of ASUU-UNN disclosed this while briefing newsmen in Nsukka on Tuesday shortly after the union's congress which was followed by a protest rally by members.
Our correspondent reports that some of the playcards carried by the protesting ASUU-UNN members include: "Federal Government honour the 2009 agreement between Government and ASUU"; “Our wives and children are hungry, pay our three and half months salaries owe members"; "Nigeria lecturers are the least paid globally".
Others are: "FG please, pay lecturers wage awards of 25 per cent and 35 per cent"; "No pay no work, government honour all your agreements with ASUU.”
Eze said Nigerians should hold the government responsible in case of any nationwide indefinite strike by ASUU as the government had failed to do the right thing.
"The government's inability to implement the agreement reached with the union since 2009 is very unfortunate and an indication that education is not the priority of the government," he said.
The Chairman explained that the protest was in compliance with the directive of the national leadership on branches of the union.
"We held congress earlier before carrying out this rally, where all members expressed their readiness to join any nationwide indefinite strike that may be directed by ASUU national leadership if the government failed to do the needful.
"The congress urged the government to implement all agreements reached with the union, as well as pay members three and half months owed to members by the government.
"That's why you see members in their numbers participating in this protest rally directed by ASUU national leadership because enough is enough on government failures to fulfill agreements entered with ASUU,” he said.
He disclosed that ASUU National Executive Council (NEC) meeting that would hold on September 2, after meeting Government on August 28, would determine what next, whether the union would embark on nationwide indefinite strike or not
Our correspondent reports that the peaceful protest rally went through some major roads in UNN and ended at the administrative building of the university.
Addressing the protesting ASUU members, the Vice-chancellor of UNN, Prof Simon Ortuanya, who was represented by Prof Romanus Ezeokonkwo, the Deputy Vice-chancellor Administration, commended ASUU for the peaceful protest in making their demands.
Ortuanya urged the union to take the option of nationwide strike as the last resort after exploring all available avenues to resolve the issue with the government.
The VC promised to forward the union's demands to the Federal Ministry of Education.
It would be recalled that ASUU national leadership recently directed its various branches to stage protest rally on campuses, as well as conduct a referendum in congress to give backing to their proposed strike.
