ASUU calls off nine-months old strike

• NANS, NAPTAN faults strike as failure

The Academic Staff Union of University (ASUU) on Wednesday “conditionally” suspended its strike, ending a protracted industrial action that started since March 2020.

ASUU National President, Biodun Ogunyemi made the announcement during a briefing of the union in Abuja explaining that the development followed consultations with its National Executive Council (NEC).

Gentechnews gathered that ASUU, called off its nine-month-old strike on Wednesday when it dawned on the leadership that the poor economic situation in the country would not allow the government to meet up with some of its demands.

It was also learnt that after meeting various stakeholders including the Nigerian Governors Forum, NGF, the leadership of the National Assembly among others, and the ASUU leadership was told of the dire economic constraints the government is facing; it had no choice other than to back down from the protracted strike.

Some of the demands by the union that required financial commitment included Earned Academic Allowances, revitalization of the university system, upgrade of facilities among others.

A source said in order not to be further blackmailed by the government as being too intransigent, ASUU had to pipe down.

“You can see that the Federal Government has been trying to portray the union in bad light by saying they have met all the demands of the union. Despite the fact that the demands of the union were not fully met, the government kept saying they have met those demands.

“If it is the way and manner the government’s delegation negotiated, it was nothing to write home about. Some concerned parties also stepped in and given the fact that the economy is in bad shape, the union has to make some concession, “the source said.

Some critical stakeholders in the sector, the National Association of Nigerian Students, (NANS), and the National Parents Teachers Association of Nigeria, (NAPTAN), have condemned the strike, stressing that it made no sense in the end as nothing positive came out of it.

The South-West Coordinator, NANS,  Mr Kappo Olawale Samuel, said the return on the strike was zero.