The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has raised the alarm that the university system across the nation is gradually collapsing due to the failure of the government to address outstanding issues with the union, hence, the need for urgent resuscitation before it breaks down totally.
ASUU called on concerned stakeholders to prevail on federal and state governments to address outstanding issues with the union to avert unnecessary industrial crises in the already weak University system across the country.
Speaking with newsmen at a rally held at Emmanuel Alayande University of Education (EAUED), Oyo, EAUED ASUU chairman, Michael Ojo said outstanding issues of the union with the government include the release of funds for the revitalisation of public Universities, illegal dissolution of Governing Councils in federal and state Universities, and release of the balance of three and half months withheld salaries of members of the union.
Others include the release of unpaid salaries of adjunct staff and staff on sabbatical capacity, unpaid arrears of earned academic allowance, renegotiation of the FGN/ASUU 2009 agreement, the proliferation of Universities, and outstanding salaries and promotion areas of its members among others.
Ojo urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immediately approve the release of funds for the continuation of critical projects on university campuses across the nation.
He demanded for full payment of all entitlements of ASUU members, saying no work, no pay policy introduced by the government was a breach of International Labour Law.
He said: “The union condemned the illegal dissolution of Governing Councils in Universities, I appealed to the government at all levels to allow Universities to operate in accordance with the law establishing them.
“ASUU appealed to the federal government to pay withheld salaries of its members who are on sabbatical or adjunct capacity and replace IPPIS with UTAS.
“The union is not happy with the silence of the federal and state governments on an issue that has led to the avoidable death of many of its members across campuses.
He urged President Tinubu to refrain from further proliferation of Universities and refocus the system, saying Universities should be adequately empowered to address challenges confronting the nation to stand with their peers anywhere in the world.
“EAUED ASUU called on federal and state governments to rise to their responsibility of adequate funding of Universities to avoid emergent rot and decay that are becoming more noticeable in public Universities despite TETFund intervention.
“EAUCED ASUU urged Governor Seyi Makinde to release the money to defray all the university’s indebtedness and address payment of 25/35 percent salary award to its members.”
