For many who have not fully understood why the Academic Staff Union of Universities embarked on the ongoing strike, this article is aimed at giving you a list of Assu’s demands and allow decide if the reasons and demands stated herein are worth the elongated periods of strikes over the years
The Academic Staff Union of Universities commenced the ongoing strike on February 14,2022.
Only three of the demands have financial implications. However, only two have to do with lecturers.
The payment of Earned Academic Allowance, Revitalisation Fund, the payment of withheld salaries are not negotiable.
The revitalization fund will be released to universities
Major demands
One of the major demands is the demand for the deployment of the University Transparency Accountability System popularly known as UTAS.
UTAS was developed after ASUU got the permission from the government to develop an alternate system to the IPPIS
According to ASUU, the IPPIS doesn’t recognize some of the peculiarities in the NUS( Nigerian University System). Note that lectures in universities are entitled to allowances such as earned allowances, sabbatical allowances among others, IPPIS doesn’t recognize this
At the height of the ASUU strike of 2020, the minister of labour and employment, Chris Ngige told ASUU that FG had agreed for the union to develop an alternate payment platform. UTAS was developed and according to plans, will be under the control of the NUC.
Unfortunately, the government is yet to accept UTAS despite the numerous tests conducted by NITDA. The government has continued to insist that UTAS failed integrity tests conducted by NITDA
Release of the white paper of visitation panels to Universities.
The Federal Government constituted a panel to look into the issues at various tertiary institutions in the country. It is believed that the report will help to know and understand the issues of NUS
Till now, the Federal Government has refused to release the report of the visitation panel. If released, the report may indict some VCs, officials among others
Proliferation of Universities.
Another concern of ASUU is the proliferation of universities by the government. According to ASUU, the government has no business establishing new universities if it can’t fund the existing universities.
ASUU wants to stop lawmakers who continue to present bills to create universities. According to a report by The PUNCH, over 186 bills were presented by the 9th NASS in four years for the creation of new universities. This is as existing universities remain underfunded.
