The inability of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Federal Government in signing an agreement may hamper resumption of full academic activities in Nigerian public universities, Straightnews has learned.
Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, the ASUU President, said the issue with the federal government has not been resolved, stating that the strike was called off due to court order obtained by the federal government.
Osodeke who spoke this during an interview on Channels TV’s ‘Sunday Politics,’ further averred that they are hoping the government will do the needful now the strike has been suspended.
Read also: Public Universities to resume as ASUU suspends strike
He said, “The issues have not been fully resolved and no agreement has been signed. So, we are resuming because we are a law abiding body and we don’t want to break the law. We are also hoping that the intervention of the speaker, as promised by him, will resolve these problems in a very short time.”
When asked if this means the lecturers are not happy to be resuming, Osodeke said: “Definitely.
“In trade dispute, especially one involving university academics, the best option is negotiation and then you end it within a very short time,” he said.
“But the minister of labour believes that the best way is to force them to class. It’s so sad, but because of the interest of the Nigerian students, their parents, and the speaker, our members will teach.
“Any country that plays with education creates room for insecurity.
“We want the next administration to follow the trend of neighbouring countries and allocate not less than 16 percent of the budget to education. When this is done, these problems will be sorted out. Our children will go to school effortlessly.”
Straightnews gathered that despite the suspension of its eight-month-old strike, ASUU may be in dilemma to compel the affected lecturers who are not in the mood to teach based on ‘no-work, no-pay policy of the Federal Government.
This is as many universities are yet to announce resumption dates for their students.
ASUU had, on Monday, February 14, 2022, embarked on a strike over what the union described as the failure of the government to meet its demands.
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, after what he described as “failed negotiations” dragged the striking lecturers before the National Industrial Court.
The court, on September 21, ordered ASUU to call off the strike.
The Court of Appeal, Abuja also handed down a similar order last week.
