Academic Staff Union of Universities ASUU, has threatened industrial action unless the Federal Government resumes negotiations on the 2009 agreement over the poor state of public Universities.
The Union accused the Government of failure to pay the backlog of owed salaries, even after the presidential initiative on continuous audit verification.
It also argued that the FG has shown disregard for the agreements it reached with the Union in 2013 and 2017.
The Benin Zonal Coordinator of ASUU, Professor Fred Esumeh, while speaking to the Press in Benin, Edo state, pointed out facts to show the FG’s non-commitment to agreements reached.
He complained that the Federal Government had failed to release the operational licence of the Nigeria University Pension Management Company.
The company is to serve as a pension fund administrator for staff, as contained in the 2017 Memorandum of Action.
Esumeh also lamented the unacceptable attitude of government towards the Educational sector.
He pointed out that it’s seven percent allocation in the 2018 budget is against international standards.
He noted that The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, UNESCO, recommends a 26percent budget allocation for education.
Some of his statements reads….
“More than 14 months after, renegotiation broke down over the antics of the chairman of government re-negotiation team and his attitude to impose his views”
“He thinks university education should be driven by market principles of trading-in and purchasing, likened to commercialisation of higher education.”
