The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has vowed to shut down public universities across the country if the Federal Government fails to address its demands within the next 14 days.
ASUU, in a statement issued on Monday after its National Executive Council, NEC, meeting at the University of Abuja, told the government to address lingering issues affecting the nation’s universities or face a nationwide strike.
The union decried what it described as the Federal Government’s consistent neglect of public universities and the welfare of its members.
ASUU lamented that despite the recent protests across public universities to draw the attention to its pressing demands, the government offered no tangible response.
The statement signed by ASUU President, Prof. Christopher Piwuna, said if the Federal Government fails to respond to the 14-day ultimatum, public university lecturers will first embark on a two-week warning strike.
After the warning strike, the lecturers may proceed on a total and indefinite shutdown of universities nationwide if the demands remain unmet.
The demands include: Renegotiation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement; sustainable funding of universities; revitalisation of public universities and an end to the victimisation of ASUU members at the Lagos State University, LASU, Prince Abubakar Audu University, Kogi, and Federal University of Technology, Owerri, FUTO.
Others are payment of outstanding 25–35% salary arrears; resolution of delayed promotion arrears spanning over four years and settlement of outstanding third-party deductions.
