Public universities across Nigeria are set to reopen as the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has suspended its 8-month-old industrial action, which paralysed academic activities in the institutions.
ASUU, which embarked on strike on February 14, 2022 to press home their demands from the federal government, took the decision to suspend the action at its National Executive Council, NEC, meeting on Friday in Abuja.
The suspension follows an order of the Court of Appeal, mandating the union to obey an earlier order of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, NICN, by suspending the industrial action before it appeals the judgement of the trial court.
ASUU President, Prof Emmanuel Osodeke, in a statement on Friday morning, said ASUU NEC resolved to suspend the strike action as a law-abiding Union and in deference to appeals by President Muhammadu Buhari, and in recognition of the efforts of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, and other well-meaning Nigerians.
Osodeke therefore directed all members of ASUU to resume all services hitherto withdrawn with effect from 12:01 on Friday, 14th October, 2022.
While appreciating efforts of the leadership of the House of Representatives and other patriotic Nigerians who waded into the matter, he said ASUU NEC noted with regrets that the issues in dispute are yet to be satisfactorily addressed.
According to the union, the issues in contention include: funding for revitalisation of public universities, earned academic allowances, proliferation of public universities, visitation panels/release of white papers, University Transparency and Accountability Solution, UTAS, as a broad-spectrum software to stop illegality and provide for an alternative payment platform in the university system and renegotiation of the 2009 agreement.
“As a law-abiding Union and in deference to appeals by the President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, and in recognition of the efforts of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, and other well-meaning Nigerians, ASUU NEC resolved to suspend the strike action embarked upon on 14th February 2022.
“Consequently, all members of ASUU are hereby directed to resume all services hitherto withdrawn with effect from 12:01 on Friday, 14th October, 2022,” he said.