The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) says it suspended its two-week nationwide warning strike to acknowledge the intervention of key stakeholders and give the Federal Government (FG) time to meet its outstanding commitments to the union.
ASUU President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, stated this on Wednesday in Abuja while briefing journalists on the outcome of the union’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting, which ended in the early hours of the day.
Piwuna said the decision followed “useful and encouraging engagements” with government officials, especially after the intervention of the leadership of the National Assembly.
He explained that the union’s NEC resolved to give the Federal Government a one-month window to conclude the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN-ASUU Agreement and address other unresolved issues affecting public universities.
“We’ve had useful engagements with representatives of the government to consider the response to the draft renegotiation of the 2009 agreement. We are definitely not where we were prior to the commencement of the strike,” Piwuna said.
“The union acknowledges that government has returned to the negotiation table. While noting that a lot more work still needs to be done, NEC came to the conclusion that the ongoing strike be reviewed.”
He added that the decision to suspend the warning strike was also in appreciation of the efforts of students, parents, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), and other well-meaning Nigerians who intervened in the dispute.
ASUU had on Oct. 13 declared a total and comprehensive warning strike to press home its demands, which include the conclusion of the renegotiated 2009 FGN-ASUU Agreement, release of withheld three and a half months’ salaries, sustainable funding, and revitalisation of public universities.
Other demands include an end to the alleged victimisation of lecturers in Lagos State University (LASU), Prince Abubakar Audu University, and the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), payment of outstanding 25–35 per cent salary arrears, settlement of over four years of promotion arrears, and release of withheld third-party deductions such as cooperative contributions.
According to Piwuna, the suspension of the strike should not be seen as a sign of weakness but as a demonstration of goodwill.
“We have decided to give the government this window to show sincerity and commitment to resolving all outstanding issues. We expect concrete results within the next one month,” he said.
He reaffirmed that ASUU remains committed to defending the integrity of public universities in Nigeria and would not hesitate to resume industrial action if the government fails to honour its commitments within the stipulated period.
