The Academic Staff Union of Nigerian Universities, ASUU says that the lingering industrial action may likely end today as the Federal Government has finally accepted the University Transparency Accountability Solution (UTAS) as a payment platform for universities. ASUU president, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke made this known yesterday during an interview with channel Television.
The academicians have been on strike since February 14th, 2020 following some calls by ASUU for implementation of academic earn allowance, removing them from the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System, IPPIS, and implementation of the 2009 agreement was some of their demands.
As of today, the industrial action has entered its 183 days, a development that has left frustrated parents, students, and other stakeholders in the academic institution.
Osedeke hinted that the federal government has agreed to the terms of the negotiations and has asked the union to come today and finalized the negotiation process so that schools may resume.
He disclosed that ASUU may call off the strike if the federal government agreed to shift ground today.
In his statement, “We have not had any serious communication though they have invited us for a meeting on one issue, tomorrow (referring to Tuesday), which is the issue of renegotiation,”.
“You know that there are seven issues why we are on strike. They are inviting for discussion on the issue of renegotiation, tomorrow, which is the renegotiation of the 2009 agreement.
“The issues of IPPIS and UTAS have been put to rest because the test has been done and it has been agreed with the chief of staff, that UTAS will be implemented to cover the university.
He continued “if this government is serious, this strike will not last more than two weeks. If you recall we were going to suppose to go on strike in November, but we didn’t start it because NIREC came in and intervened. We conceded to them.
He explained ‘’They met with the president, he set up a committee headed by the chief of staff that should resolve this quickly, the world saw it in the press, they did nothing. The president set up the Munzali committee, we met them, nothing, and they didn’t come back.
Subsequently, “They set up the Nimi Briggs committee, it’s now more than three months, two months we finished negotiating with them, and they didn’t come back. The president directed the Ministry of Education to finish within two weeks, two weeks has passed, and they didn’t come back, Osedeke added.
He concluded that “If we go into that meeting tomorrow and the government says what we have negotiated, we are willing to sign; the strike will be called off.”
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