The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has said that the union
will commence a warning strike action starting on the 2nd of October,
2016, if the government fails to honour its agreements.
Reports
stated that the ASUU Chairman, University of Abuja Chapter, Dr Ben
Ugheoke disclosed this while speaking with journalists.
He reportedly said, “We have tried to dialogue
with the Federal Government but they have been playing games with us, we
will start with a warning strike to show them we are not jokers.”
Dr.
Ugheoku noted that all efforts by the union proved abortive while
stressing that the strike will last for one week, ”and if they do not
give us listening ears we will start the indefinite strike come November
2016.”
It will be recalled that ASUU in a recent conference
stated that the Federal Government owes lecturers N124bn as earned
academic allowances from 2013 to 2016, aside another N495bn that had
also accumulated as arrears.
They also urged the Federal and
State Governments to honour the agreements they entered into with them
in order to prevent a major crisis from scuttling the “peace in the
nation’s public universities at this critical period.”