JUST IN: UNIVERSITIES TO SHUT DOWN AGAIN AS ASUU ANNNONUCE DATE FOR STRIKE

Universities to shut down as ASUU announces date for another strike

Another industrial dispute between the Academic Staff Union of Universities and the federal government has erupted

The union which has chapters in public universities explained why it may tell lecturers working in institutions across the country to stay off work

ASUU has been having disagreements with the Nigerian government over the funding of the universities and payroll issues

FCT, Abuja - There are indications that public universities across Nigeria may be shut if the lingering industrial dispute between the federal government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities is not resolved.

The Punch reported that the ASUU has threatened to embark on strike on Tuesday, August 31, if the federal government does not implement an agreement signed with the union.

Universities to shut down as ASUU announces date to begin fresh strike

The union’s president, Prof Emmanuel Osodeke, told the newspaper in an interview on Sunday, August 29, that the federal government has stopped communicating with ASUU

He accused the government of refusing pick calls from the union.

Osodeke said:

“The government has refused to reach out to us. Government officials have stopped. In fact, they don’t take our calls again. Nigerians should tell the government to do what they agreed to do.

“We signed an agreement and even in May, we reached a final agreement; this is August and nothing has been implemented. Does it make any sense? We are giving them till the end of August and after that, we start the procedures.”

PM News reported that the ASUU claimed that the government has not addressed the discrepancies around the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System and others issues in the agreement that led to the suspension of the strike on December 24, 2020.

Plateau Killings: Kaduna govt evacuates students from UNIJOS

Meanwhile, indigenes of Kaduna state who are students of the University of Jos have been evacuated by the state government.

This was disclosed by the executive secretary, Kaduna state scholarship and Loans Board, Malam Hassan Rilwan.

Rilwan disclosed that 87 students were evacuated on Friday, August 20, by security agencies under the supervision of the board, Vanguard Newspaper added.

He said the state government through the Board shall continue to remain proactive in securing the lives of the state’s students in Plateau state and elsewhere.