Finally, ASUU Suspends Strike for 2 weeks

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) through its National Executive Council (NEC) at Owerri finally suspended its over three-month old strike today (Friday). The suspension came as a result of the intervention of a truce parley

brokered by Edo State Governor (former NLC President) Adams Oshiomole and current NLC President Comrade Abdulwaheed Omar.

ASUU through its national Chairman Prof. Ukachukwu Awuzie said the government has promised to sign the agreements through a process of collective bargaining within a week, and the suspension is expected to last for 2 weeks. The academic union also expressed concerns if government will keep to his word this time, failure which they say will make the union to revert back to the trenches. Although before now, feelers that were gathered by huhuonline.com revealed that various Universities across the country had earlier indicated their desires in favour of the suspension of the strike.

The academic union also maintained that their demands are not selfish and are expected to be of benefits to Nigerian students if met by government. These demands include adequate funding of education, adequate remuneration of staff, genuine autonomy and democratization of the decision making organs in Universities and the recall of the remaining sacked 44 lecturers of the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN). Besides, the Federal government has been playing games with ASUU's demands for more than 7 years during several agreements have been reached with ASUU only for government to fail to implement them.

ASUU strike has however brought grief pains and disappointment to the students who are always at the receiving end; and ASUU also being victim of government intransigence said government is to be blamed for provoking this strike action for almost four months (June 22, 2009-October 9, 2009) by not coming to terms with their agitations on time. The blames for every lecture, test, examination and other academic work missed by Nigerian students during the strike periods are also said to be put on the government.