UNILAG Chapter (ASUU) “No PhD, No promotion” Policy Out

ASUU of UNILAG Chapter has made a call for the eradication of the “no PhD no promotion or confirmation” syndrome instituted by the management of the University. They also want the conditions of service in the University improved. They said the members of the Union may be left with no choice than to embark on indefinite strike if these demands are not met.

 

According to the News Agency of Nigeria:

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Lagos chapter, has called on the management of the institution to review their current conditions of service or face an indefinite strike.

The Chairman of the union, Dr Adelaja Odukoya, gave the warning during a sensitisation rally by members of the association on the university’s campus on Wednesday.

Odukoya told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sidelines that the ASUU members were agitating the non-democratisation of departmental headship and the replacement of the conditions of service.

He said the members were not comfortable with the “no PhD no promotion or confirmation” syndrome instituted by the management of the 52-year-old university.

“What we are doing today is a peaceful sensitisation rally with our members and not a protest.

“ We are going from one department to the other pulling our members for this struggle as we feel.

“We feel we should create awareness around the campus so that management will not say they were taken unawares,” he told NAN.

“This issue has been on ground since four years ago during the era of late Prof. Adetokumbo Sofoluwe.

“During his time, the current Vice-Chancellor was the then Deputy Vice-Chancellor.

“Our members made these issues known to management and held several consultations with them in a bid to look into all of them.

“Since I equally took over leadership in March, these issues have also been in the front burner of my operations as head.

“Until 48 hour ago when I had the last negotiation with management, they kept telling us that they will look into it and yet nothing tangible has come out of it.”

Odukoya said the issues had been tabled before the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the association which, he noted, would be having their meeting from Dec. 6 to Dec. 8, at the University of Lagos.

According to him, in the event of failure to resolve the issues during the period, the members will be left with no choice than to embark on indefinite strike.

“This is a responsible union and that is why we are seeking means of dialogue to resolve the issues before now.

“We wrote to the management informing them of this rally because we do not want to be seen as going against the law or be seen as being violent.

“We are equally mindful of the welfare of our students who are preparing for their examination currently.

“We are not interested in strike. What we are demanding for is that the management should urgently look into all the issues brought before them and come up with a peaceful resolution,” he said.

He noted that other issues such as accumulated leave, arbitrariness in promotion criteria, treating the academic staff like second class citizens of the institution would henceforth be resisted.

Odukoya said that a situation whereby professional grades of lecturers were tied to appointment were also among issues that they were demanding an urgent review.

Addressing the rally, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic and Research), Prof. Babajide Alo, said that there was no need for the rally as most of the issues brought before management was already being looked into.

Mr Ben Anosike, Secretary-General, Senior Staff Association of Nigeria University (SSANU), University of Lagos chapter, said that members of the association joined the rally in solidarity with their ASUU counterpart.

He noted that issues of such nature must be a concern of all as they were all working towards a common goal.

According to him, the issue of “no PhD, no promotion” that is the case in the institution should be abolished.

“All of us, irrespective of our unions should work in tandem with whatever we are fighting for as a people,” he said.

A final year student of Education, Jerry Otor, pleaded with management of the university to urgently look into the demands of members of the association in order to prevent the situation from escalating to strike.

He expressed fear that the strike if embarked upon, would lead to the postponement of their graduation.

“I feel it is negligence on the part of management and I feel it should not be so because they all passed through the same rung of the ladder to get to where they are today,” he said

NAN reports that some of the placards the workers carried had inscriptions such as “Students in solidarity with Workers, “To be forewarned is to be forearmed” and “No to Professional Grade by Appointment”. (NAN)

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SSANU - Non-Implementation of 2009 Agreement by the FG may Cause Another Strike

The Senior Staff of Nigerian Universities SSANU has called on the Federal Government to duly review the 2009 agreement without further delay to avoid another strike action disrupting academic calendar in government owned universities.

This was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of its 24th regular Executive Council meeting at the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) signed by SSANU National President, Comrade Samson Ugwoke, and the National PRO, Comrade NAD Aboribo, where it was stated that the agreement has since been due for review with effect from August, 2012 and the government is foot-dragging to the implementation.

The union also frowned at the non-implementation of the earned allowances component of the 2009 agreement to its members and urged the government to pay the arrears it owes its members in research institute that are affiliated to universities.

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Adamawa State University Lecturers Embarks on an Indefinite Strike

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU of the Adamawa State University, recently embarked on an indefinite strike to agitate against what it described as the unjustifiable sack of their colleagues by the school authorities.

This was made known by the chairman, Mr Molem Ishaku, according to him the school management has taken to victimization and intimidation of lecturers in the institution over their involvement in the last ASUU nationwide strike.

According to him the management has currently sacked 24 lectures and queried 5.

In a meeting with the management the union demanded that the 24 sacked lecturers be recalled and the query issued to some be withdrawn but so far the management has recalled only 10 lecturers and yet to withdraw any of the queries.

However the Public Relation Officer of the institution has denied that allegation stating that no lecturer was sacked an the rumoured strike by the ASUU chapter of the institution is only a scheme by some lectures to draw the institution backwards

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University of Abuja Temporarily Shut Down Following Students Protest

Following students protest in the University of Abuja to register their agitation against the strike action embarked upon by the ASUU chapter of the institution, the school has been temporarily closed down.

Students are advised to vacate the hostels immediately.

According to a notice from the office of the Vice Chancellor, further developments on this matter will be communicated in due course.

Stay Update For More Info.

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UNIABUJA ASUU Strike is Unjustifiable - VC

Responding on Tuesday to the indefinite strike action embarked on by the University of Abuja lecturers over what they termed misappropriation of fund by the Vice Chancellor of the institution, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Abuja, James Adelabu, has said that the striking lecturers of the institution had no justification for their strike.‎

In his remarks, the VC said that the union was ignorant of the development regarding the check-off dues.

He said that there was a directive from the Federal Ministry of Education stopping all university authorities from collecting and remitting check-off dues to the union.

“Salary is paid in full. How can they say I have deducted something and have diverted it somewhere?

“All what the union is trying to do is just to paralyse the system,’’ he said.

According to the VC the ASUU union in the University of Abuja is divided into two groups namely ASUU Integrity and ASUU Splinter. It was learnt that the ASUU splinter is the group on strike.

Concerning some students who currently are writing their examinations and preparing for their industrial training, the VC said he will supervise the examination alongside the Integrity Group faction of ASUU UNIABUJA chapter.

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ASUU Strike: Uniabuja ASUU Chapter Embarks on Indefinite Strike

The academic union of universities UNIABUJA chapter has embarked on an indefinite strike.

According to the Chairman of the union this is to register their grievances over what they called misappropriation of funds by the Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof James Adelabu.

The VC was said to have misused his power and plots to cripple the union by not paying their check-off dues which includes their teaching, marking, supervision and professional allowances dating back to 2010.

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Asup Strike Updates: ASUU, ASUP, And COEASU Will Hold A Crucial Meeting Today, 30th May, 2013 To Suspend Strike

We are already aware that the Federal Government and Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics have made a lot of promises to the Students that the strike will be called off this week, next week, bla bla bla! But this time, we think this is the real deal. (But don’t count on it, we are still in Nigeria and everything goes:) )

WE are reliably informed that the leadership of the Academic Staff Union Of Universities, (ASUU), Academic Staff Union Of Polytechnics, (ASUP) and College Of Education Academic Staff Union, (COEASU) will hold a crucial meeting today, 30th May, 2014 in a bid to find a lasting solution to the current impasse.

“Just after the management of Akanu ibiam fedpoly unwana recalled their students for 2nd June to resume lecture 9th June, that evening a text was sent to Unwana Asup members saying,” A joint meeting of ASUU, ASUP & COEASU has been scheduled for Friday 30/05/2014 to find a lasting solution to the current impasse. Members are urged to remain steadfast in the struggle as we are almost there.

Please reject all forces & intimidation to suspend the strike at your various chapter; kindly ignore all rumors of suspension of strike, it is from mischief makers. We will keep you informed of any development. Thank you all. SG, (Secretary General)”

Meeting with ASUU, ASUP and COEASU has been schedule to hold today, 30th May, 2014
The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, ASUP, and Colleges of Education and Academic Staff Union, COEASU, have been on eight-month and six-month strike respectively.


Source: Nigeriaschool

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Lagos State University Lecturers Declare Indefinite Strike - School Fee Hike

Lectures at the Lagos State University (LASU) has embarked on an indefinite strike following lack of concern on the part of the state government to address the hike in school fees and other demands of the lectures under the umbrella of academic staff union of university (LASU chapter)

This was made known on Tuesday after a meeting with the national body of ASUU in Lagos.

According ASUU Chairman,Dr. Idris Adekunle, having exhausted one year of dialogue and consultations with relevant stakeholders without headway, the union decided to call out its members on a total, comprehensive and indefinite industrial action.

It was gathered that the three core issues to be addressed before members could return to work were the reversal of the high LASU tuition regime from N348, 750 to a maximum N50, 000 across board; repeal of the no vacancy, no promotion policy of the institution’s administration and the implementation of the universities (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Amendment) Act, 2012, which would see academic staff in the professorial cadre retire at age 70 instead of 65, in the university.

Earlier the Union had given the government and the senate of the institution an initial 21
day ultimatum effective from March 24 which expired April 13 and another 14-day ultimatum which expired April 29 but know tangible move has been made to address its demands.

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TASUED 1st Semester Exam (2013/2014) Postponed - ASUU Unpaid Salary

ASUU (TASUED chapter) in agitation to unpaid three months salary has stopped students from taking their first semester examination for the 2013/2014 academic session.

In a conversation with the Dean of Student Affair, she made it clear that the Exam have been postpone till further notice due to the statement made by the ASUU (Tasued Chapter), that No salary No Exam. She said, the Exam could start anytime from now so the student should be prepared.

Com. Damilola Awolaru SUG, Assistance Gen. Sec., in his conversation with some students he advised them to keep preparing for the exam & also wish all Tasuedite success in the up Coming exam.

One of the lecturer said that "An hungry stomach can''t set question."

One of the affected students (anonymous) said in an interview that "most of us didn't know the reason for the postponement of the exam except few of us."

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Federal University of Technology, FUTMINNA To Starts Exam February

The management of Federal University of Technology Minna has made an official announcement that the institution will commence examinations for students on February 10, after resuming second semester of the 2012/2013 academic session  on January 6, 2014.Federal University of Technology, FUT, Minna To Starts Exam By 10th February, 2014

FUTMINNNA’s information officer, Lydia Legbo, told the News Agency of Nigeria weekend that the 377 Special Session of the Senate announced the resumption date, following the suspension of the ASUU strike, adding that the Senate had also fixed February 10, 2014 for the commencement of the second semester examination, while the university would proceed on holiday on February 24, 2014.

She quoted the vice-chancellor, Musibau Akanji, who presided over the Senate meeting.
The National Executive Council of ASUU suspended the union’s six-month-old strike on December 17, after signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the Federal Government.

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Benue State University to Resume January 4th

This is to bring to your notice and to inform all the students of the Benue State University, Makurdi, that the suspended academic activities for the 2012/2013 session, due to the  ASUU strike, has been scheduled to resume on the Saturday, 4th of January, 2014.

Lectures are expected to begin on Monday, 6th January, 2014. All students of Benue State University are encourage to inform their friends and course-mates.

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As ASUU Calls off strike: State Varsities May Not Resume

The nearly six-month old strike embarked upon by Academic Staff Union of Nigerian Universities (ASUU) may continue in some state universities as the national body of the association has just been suspended. If you are yet to, quickly run through the publication here.

It will be recalled that the Federal Government and ASUU signed an agreement recently to facilitate end to the industrial action that has paralysed the nation’s public universities.

However, a senior lecturer in the Department of Mass Communication, Benue State University, Makurdi, Dr Samson Sambe, said the strike could continue in some state universities.

Sambe disclosed this to National Mirror in a telephone interview when asked how he was preparing for ASUU’s much-anticipated resumption on campuses.

He said: “It depends on individual state universities. For us in the state university, even though the strike is called off, there are issues, local issues which have to be addressed.

“These are issues of payment of salaries and so on. So, though the strike is called at the national, there are states which have issues that bother on the payment of their salaries.

“We are not so enthusiastic yet. But, we just hope that, maybe, the various state governments will also be able to deal with such issues, believing that the right thing has to be done.”

Unresolved issues between states and ASUU, as said by Sambe, might dash the hope of students who are looking towards receiving positive pronouncement from the union to enable them resume school

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Is Assu Strike Called Off?

Niger State capital, indicates that the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has called off its five months strike.

The Union arrived at the latest decision to suspends its strike after a marathon meeting held at the Federal University of Technology (FUT), Minna, Niger State on Monday.

After a protracted debate, the Federal Government and ASUU reached a compromise during a negotiation brokered by the President of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Abdulwaheed Omar few days ago.

Lecturers are to resume there official duty with immediate effect.

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Federal Government And ASUU Reach Agreement Over Strike

he Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities have reached an agreement to end the over five month old strike by ASUU. The lecturer’s association has however said that its members may return to work next week.
 
The Supervising Minister of Education, Mr. Nyesom Wike told journalists at a meeting with the leadership of ASUU, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Universities Commission and five vice- chancellors of universities that all contending issues between the parties have been resolved.

The parties signed a document to seal the agreement which spells great hope that the over five-month old strike may be called off within one week, although the president of ASUU, Professor Nasir Faggae declined to say what was contained in the document.

ASUU’s demands include the upward review of the retirement age for professors from 65 to 70; adequate funding to revitalise the university system; progressive increase of budgetary allocations to the education sector by 26 per cent; transfer of federal government property to universities; setting up of research and development units by companies; payment of earned allowances; and renegotiation of the signed agreement.
The agreement between the two is reached barely 24 hours after the Special Assistant on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe presented a proof of payment of N200 billion into an account with the Central Bank of Nigeria.

The strike began on July 1^st 2013 and lasted for over five months before this resolution was reached.

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Federal Government Order Vcs To Meet At Abuja Tomorrow

The FGN also invite the members of the Implementation Monitoring Committee (IMC) On Needs Assessment Report for inauguration to the meeting.

This was contained in a statement signed by the Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission, Professor Julius Okojie, on behalf of the Supervising Minister of Education, Barrister Nyeson Wike and published in a national daily today.

According to the statement, the Vice Chancellors are to come to the meeting with a list of their prioritised projects based on Needs Assessment Report for funding and Vice Chancellors of state universities must come along with with their account details.

It is not clear whether the meeting was called to disburse the N200b the government said it had deposited in an account with the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, which ASUU is insisting must be communicated to it formally.

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ASUU No Deal Without Agreement Letter Signed

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has insisted that its members would not return to classroom until the FGN responds to its letter requesting it to put its promises to fund the universities in writing and sign it for future reference.

The National Treasurer of the union, Dr Ademola Aremu, disclosed this while speaking with our correspondent on telephone on Sunday.

Aremu said there can not 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.

The unionist waved aside the announcement by the Federal Government that it had deposited a large sum of money 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 can not intimidate any lecturer that is worth his salt.

“Any academic that is not an intellect work, that is actually an intellectual will not be intimidated by the threat.

Nobody can humiliate you when you are fighting a just cause.” He said.

Source: Vanguard Nigeria.

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ASUU Strike May Be Called Off Today After NEC Meeting

According to the report,  Academic staff Union of Universities, ASUU may be suspended tomorrow, saturday, 16th November, 2013 after positive negotiations between leaders of ASUU and the President Jonathan Led Federal Government, Last week monday.

The suspension of the strike is going in a positive way as a higher number of Universities has voted in favour of the suspension of the 2013 ASUU strike. We also heard that University of Jos has voted for the call-off the lingering strike.


Despite the tragic car incident that happened on tuesday morning, which claim the life of the former president of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, Prof. Festus Iyayi,  National Executive Council, (NEC) meeting this Saturday, would be positive, especially in honour of the Past Leader, Professor Festus Iyayi, and also in respect of the Nigerian Universities students.

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Is Asuu Strike Called Off?

A source close to top guns in the Academic Staff Union Of Universities (ASUU) has told The City Reporters the lecturers will ditch their four month old strike this weekend so students could resume on November 18 (next Monday).

The source said there was no way the union could reject the new offer of N220bn a year tabled by President Goodluck Jonathan during a marathon meeting with ASUU last week Tuesday.

ASUU had come out of that meeting to tell Nigerians it needed time to deliberate on the new deal and reach a consensus among it members before talking to the press.

A top official of the union, has however said the government could not be trusted even on the new offer, and that ASUU’s members were divided over the government’s offer. He, however raised a beam of hope by saying the majority still decided to give the government the benefit of the doubt.

As ASUU executives meet this Wednesday, if the fate of the strike is down to a vote among the striking lecturers, as suggested by ASUU chairman, Nasir Fagge, the four month old impasse may surely end this week.

ASUU went on strike July 1 over the non-implementation of a 2009 agreement it had with the government with a key component of the memorandum of understanding the allocation of 26% of Nigeria’s total budget to education.

Although the government is planning to allocate just 9% of the 2014 budget to education, ASUU now seems set to end the strike after government offers that would surely boost lecturers’ take home pay and improve varsity infrastructure.

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