The Academic Staff Union of Universities says it has not suspended its ongoing strike.
Chairman of the University of Jos chapter of ASUU Lazarus Maigoro disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Friday.
According to him, the union has not signed any agreement with the Federal Government to call off the strike as being purported in some quarters.
He said that the Federal Government had promised to fulfill part of the agreement that led to the lingering strike, but had failed to do so to date.
“It must be categorically stated here that ASUU never signed any agreement to suspend the strike but agreed on timelines for government to implement certain aspects of the issues in contention.
“For instance, one of the issues agreed was that all the six to nine months withheld salaries and check-off dues of ASUU members will be released by Dec. 9, but the date has passed and nothing was done.
“The N40 billion earned academic allowances and N30 billion funding for revitalisation will also be released by Dec. 11, among other issues, but till now, none has been fulfilled.
“The next thing is that we heard Dr Chris Ngige, the Minister of Labour and Employment, telling the public that ASUU agreed to suspend the strike,” he said.
Maigoro said the minister was quoted in some sections of the media that the government has fulfilled its part of the agreement reached to enable the union to call off the industrial action.
He called on relevant stakeholders, parents, and even students to join ASUU in its bid to ensure a better university education system in the country, rather than see lecturers as bad eggs.
Maigoro also called on the government to show sincerity in negotiating with ASUU, insisting that using threats would further aggravate the issue.
