From Okey Sampson
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), has given the Federal Government two weeks within which its members would commence industrial action if their various agreements have not been implemented.
The two weeks’ notice was given by the ASUU Zonal Coordinator of Calabar Zone, Comrade Happiness Uduk, when she addressed a press conference and protest organized by the Zone, at Abia State University, Uturu (ABSU) main campus.
The ASUU Zonal coordinator regretted that various agreements reached between it and the Federal Government were yet to be honoured, leaving the academic staff and educational sector at large in a deplorable and debilitating condition.
The unimplemented agreements, according to the ASUU zonal coordinator, included salary increases, salary arrears, funding of Universities, and Earned Academic Allowances among others.
The union while rejecting the use of the Integrated Personal and Payroll Information System (IPPS), expressed her displeasure with the introduction of a Treasury Single Account (TSA) in Abia State University, Uturu and also condemned the victimisation of members of ASUU in Ebonyi State University (EBSU).
It expressed regrets that the monthly wages of lecturers today have been reduced to nothing by the rising cost of things in the market.
ASUU also rejected the Federal government’s loan package for Nigerian students, warning that it would amount to the enslavement of the students.
“Universities would be shot down for academic activities in the next two weeks. Please take the message to them”, Uduk said.
Also speaking, the Chairman of ASUU in Abia State University, Dr Chidi Mba equally rejected the use of Treasury Single Account (TSA) in ABSU.
Mba who said his members are owed between 11 and 14 months of salaries, also complained that salaries of some workers were allegedly slashed.
He called on the Abia state government to increase the funding of the school.
Meanwhile, traditional rulers in Uturu, Abia state have begged the members of ASUU not to embark on another strike.
The Ezes who spoke through the traditional ruler of Isiyi autonomous community, Uturu, Eze Charles Onuoha, said the nation’s educational sector and Uturu economy in particular, would be grossly affected by the proposed strike.
Eze Onuoha, a former member of the Governing Council of ABSU, said a worker deserves better treatment and promised to take their complaints to Governor Alex Otti.
Some students who were at the venue of the press conference begged the Federal and state governments to resolve every issue with ASUU to avoid the looming strike.
Calabar Zone of ASUU comprises seven Universities namely the University of Calabar, University of Uyo, Alex Ekwueme University, Abia State University, Ebonyi State University and Akwa Ibom State University.
The post Strike: ASUU gives FG two weeks notice appeared first on The Sun Nigeria.