In a bid to send a message to members of the public regarding its relationship with the Federal Government, the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has declared Monday, 8th of February as a lecture free day across Universities in the country
The decision of the union was made public by its National President, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke during an interview with PUNCH on Saturday, 6th of February 2022. According to the union leader, the lecture-free day is not a strike action, rather it is a sensitization effort to clarify the state of things between the union and the government.
Indy Press recalls that the last strike by the union lasted for 10 months between March and December 2020. The strike action came to an end after both sides reached certain agreements contained in a Memorandum of Action. However, a year after signing the MoA, the union claims that the government has failed to fulfil its side of the bargain.
To prevent another strike action, the government quickly moved to pay N55bn as part-payment for the Earned Academic Allowance and Revitalisation Fund. However, despite this, it took the intervention of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council among other dignitaries before the union decided to give the government more time.
Meanwhile, as various chapters of the union prepare to embark on the lecture-free day exercise tomorrow, the University of Ibadan chapter of the union might not be involved. According to the chapter’s chairman, Professor Ayoola Akinwole, ASUU-UI has not received any directive from the national body as at Sunday night, 7th of February 2022. The union leader maintained that there is a line of information from the national body that determines any action the chapter takes.
