OAU ASUU protests non-implementation of agreements with FG……..Says Tinubu ignored union

TUNDE ADELEKE,Osogbo  

The Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, chapter of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has protested against non-implement of its demands by the Federal Government.

Members of the Union who marched in solidarity on the campus were seen carrying different placards with inscriptions like, “IPPIS is a scam”, “Pay all our Outstanding promotion arrears”, “FG give our children proper education”, “enough is enough: gobern us, not oppress us”, among others.

Speaking on the protest, the Chairman of the Branch, Prof. Anthony Odiwe, noted that the Federal Government was yet to address issues that had always forced its members to embark on strike.

Odiwe further emphasized on the need for the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency address the pending issues, stressing that failure to sign and implement the 2021 draft agreement will lead to industrial action.

He said: “It is extremely important to state that all the issues that had always forced our members to embark on strike are still unattended up till now.  

“Please, permit me to mention those issues- Release of the unpaid salaries of staff on sabbatical, adjunct, etc. due to IPPIS, payment of promotion arrears; payment of EAA; proliferation of public universities; implementation of the Reports of the Visitation Panels, illegal dissolution of Governing Councils in Federal and State Universities; implementation of University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) in place of IPPIS and release of third-party deductions.”

However, the Union also held that in the last one year, it has not officially met with President Tinubu since taking the wheel of power as the country’s president.

In his words: “The Union was very open and hopeful at the beginning that government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu that would be favourably disposed in addressing the issues, especially with the posture and utterances of Mr. President that strike will be a thing of the past in our system.

“Unfortunately, the same government has refused to relate with us officially in the last one year in power. In view of this, the Union has decided to take this matter to the public space once again so that Nigerians will be properly informed and will not blame us but the government because of their insensitivity and non-responsiveness to the issues of university education in the country.”

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