Another industrial action looms as ASUU threatens to embark on nationwide strike

macfranc007 September 28, 2018 Nigeria News today & Breaking news ▷ Read Naija news 24/7 Kess Ewubare

- ASUU expresses surprise that the federal government is yet to implement the various agreements aimed at revitalising public universities, as agreed in 2017

- Lawan Abubakar, the Bauchi zonal coordinator of ASUU, calls for the immediate release of the N20 billion revitalisation funding for universities

- Presidency summons labour leaders as strike continues across Nigeria

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), has threatened to embark on a nationwide strike if the federal government fails to implement the 2017 FGN/ASUU agreement.

Lawan Abubakar, the Bauchi zonal coordinator of ASUU, at a news conference in Jos on Thursday, September 27, expressed surprise that the federal government has yet to implement the various agreements aimed at revitalising public universities, as agreed in 2017.

“ASUU and the federal government signed an agreement on the revitalisation of the universities and the payment of arrears of Earned Academic Allowances (EAA). We also agreed that the EAA be captured in 2018 universities budgets.

“We also agreed on the need for adequate budgetary allocation to education in line with the UNESCO minimum standard of 26%,” he said.

Abubakar regretted that only 7% of the total 2018 budget was allocated to the education sector, and called for the immediate release of the N20 billion revitalisation funding.

He enjoined members of the public to put pressure on the federal government to live up to its national responsibility by honouring agreements and MoUs so as to avoid disruptions in academic activities.

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Meanwhile, the presidency on Thursday, September 27, in Abuja reportedly summoned the leadership of the organised labour to an emergency meeting with a view to ending the ongoing nationwide industrial action.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the chief of staff to the president, Malam Abba Kyari, presided over the closed door meeting with organized labour led by the leader of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Ayuba Wabba.

The NLC had on Wednesday, September 26, directed all its members and affiliate unions to commence a nationwide strike following alleged failure, of the federal government to reconvene the meeting of the tripartite national minimum wage committee to enable it to conclude its assignment.

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