As Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), threatens nationwide strike, University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) branch, says members are ready to join.
The impending strike, the union threatens, shall be nationwide and indefinite, if the Federal Government fails to meet their demands.
Comrade Oyibo Eze, the Chairman of ASUU-UNN said this while briefing newsmen in Nsukka on Tuesday shortly after the union’s congress, followed by protest rally by members.
Eze said Nigerians should hold government responsible in case of any nationwide indefinite strike by ASUU as government had failed to do the needful.
“Government inability to implement agreement reached with the union since 2009 is very unfortunate and an indication that education is not the priority of government,” he said.
The chairman said that the rally/protest was in compliance with the directive of the national leadership on branches of the union to carry out protest rally so as to appeal to government to do the needful.
“We held congress earlier before carrying out this rally.
”Our members expressed their readiness to join any nationwide indefinite strike that may be directed by ASUU national leadership, if government fails to meet their demands.
“The congress urged government to implement all agreements reached with the union as well as pay members three and half months salary owed them by the government.
“That is why you see members in their numbers participating in this protest directed by ASUU national leadership because enough is enough of government failures to fulfill agreements entered with ASUU,” he said.
He said that ASUU National Executive Council (NEC) would meet on Sept. 2, after meeting with the Federal Government on Aug. 28 to determine the next line of action.
The protesters marched through some major roads in UNN and ended at the administrative building of the university.
Addressing ASUU protesting members, the Vice-chancellor of UNN, Prof. Simon Ortuanya, represented by Prof. Romanus Ezeokonkwo, the Deputy Vice-chancellor, Administration, commended ASUU for the peaceful protest in seeking 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.
Some placards carried by the protesting ASUU members include “Federal Government honour the 2009 agreement with ASUU”.
“Our wives and children are hungry; pay our three and half months salaries owed members, “Nigeria lecturers are the least paid globally”.
Others are “FG please, pay lecturers wage awards of 25 per cent and 35 per cent”.
NAN reports that ASUU National leadership recently directed its various branches to stage protest rallies on campus as well as conduct a referendum in congress to give backing to their proposed strike.
