Yola Zone: ASUU threatens to withdraw services on expiration of the 2-week ultimatum to FG

The Yola Zone of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has called on the federal government to stop toying with the future of the Nigerian masses and implement the agreement reached in 2022 between the FGN and ASUU, which led to the suspension of the strike. 

ASUU Coordinator, Yola Zone, Dani Mamman stated this in a statement made available to Newsmen in Yola, Adamawa state Capital.

Read in parts: "The failure of the government to implement the contents of several Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and Action between 2013 and 2022 had particularly hampered access to wholesome industrial harmony in public Universities. 

"It does not make sense when you mutually signed an agreement with the government and the government deliberately and consciously regularly reneges on such agreements.

"The agreement signed included the release of withheld three and a half months’ salaries, the release of outstanding third-party deductions such as check-off dues and cooperative contributions, payment of N50 billion Arrears of Earned Academic Allowance (EAA), and funding for revitalization.

"Others are the release of unpaid salaries for staff on sabbatical, part-time, and adjunct appointments, exit from the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), the conclusion of the re-negotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU Agreement based on the Draft Agreement by the Nimi Briggs Committee in 2021.

"The Union noted with disdain that instead of the FGN upholding the truth and protecting the sanctity of our universities and at the same time addressing the issues at stake squarely, it went into slumber, which is a clear manifestation of its insensitivity to the plight of Nigerian students and education generally. 

"With a feeling of indignation, we regret to bore you with the cry of anger, frustration, and unfulfilled promises that have tirelessly bedeviled our struggle and have been front-burnt for several years.

"Unfortunately, despite the fact our Union has, on August 21st August 2024, issued a 21-day ultimatum for the resolution of all the issues in contention since 2009, nothing tangible has changed safely for meetings and more meetings for which government agents were more concerned with receiving allowances for convening such meetings.

"FGN has billions of naira to waste in renovating the house of the Vice President, presidential yacht, and SUVs for Lawmakers but lacks the meager amount needed to fix our Universities, which produce most of them. 

"Our Union of optimistic that is more than sufficient funds to address the issues at stake it is only the political will and deficiency that the government lacks. What is the government doing with the proceeds of subsidy removal?

"Let us make it crystal clear that at the expiration of 2 additional weeks’ ultimatum our Union gave the government if nothing concrete comes out, our members will not hesitate to withdraw our services and should not be held responsible for the breakdown in industrial harmony which will arise as a result of the government’s insensitivity, insincerity, indifference, and time-buying gimmicks," the statement concluded.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Yola zone comprises six branches: Modibbo Adama University (M. A. U.) Yola, University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID), Federal University Gashua, (FUGA), Taraba State University (TSU), Jalingo, Adamawa State University (ADSU) Mubi and Yobe State University (YSU) Damaturu.