The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has insisted that the strike will continue until the Federal Government responds to its letter requesting it to put its promises to fund the universities in writing and sign it for future reference.
According to the National Treasurer of the union, Dr Ademola Aremu, there cannot be any meaningful progress until the government responds to the letter, stressing that ASUU’s request was the collective decision of members across the country and not the decision of the national leadership.
Aremu remained unconvinced about the government’s claim that it had deposited N200bn to meet the demand of ASUU with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). He said the proper way of communication with the union should be through a letter confirming the signing of the new agreement it reached with the lecturers.
Describing government’s announcement as a mark of insincerity, Aremu said that the only way it can take government seriously on the issue is a letter confirming the signing of the agreement.
He said: “When we finished negotiation with the President, we promised to go and brief our members and communicate the popular decision of the union to his office. That was exactly what we did. The collective decision of members was that the government should put its proposal in black and white and sign it properly.
“So, if government wants to communicate with us, it should simply respond to the letter, not announcing through the media that certain amount of money was already with the CBN. That is not proper. We don’t believe that is a fair treatment.”
On the ultimatum, Aremu said it was a threat that cannot intimidate any lecturer that is worth his salt.
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