By Atoyebi Nike
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has called off its ongoing two-week warning strike following an overnight meeting of its National Executive Council (NEC), which ended at about 4:00 a.m. on Wednesday in Abuja.
Announcing the decision, ASUU National President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, said the suspension followed renewed engagements with government officials and appeals from students, parents, and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
“We’ve had useful discussions with representatives of the government on the draft renegotiation of the 2009 agreements,” Piwuna said. “While we are not yet where we should be, the government has returned to the negotiation table. In recognition of ongoing efforts and appeals from well-meaning Nigerians, NEC resolved to suspend the warning strike.”
ASUU had declared the total and comprehensive warning strike on October 13 to protest the government’s delay in addressing key demands.
The union’s major demands include finalising the renegotiated 2009 FGN-ASUU agreement, releasing withheld three and a half months’ salaries, sustainable funding and revitalisation of public universities, and an end to the victimisation of lecturers at LASU, Prince Abubakar Audu University, and FUTO.
Other grievances involve the payment of outstanding 25-35% salary arrears, four years of promotion arrears, and withheld third-party deductions such as cooperative contributions and union dues.
Despite suspending the strike, ASUU maintained that it expects the government to act swiftly on its commitments to prevent a fresh industrial dispute.
