The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has labelled the Federal Government as a serial promise-breaker who behaves like unfaithful spouse, insisting that it will soon embark on an indefinite strike to press home its demands.
The new industrial action will be coming one month after it suspended a nine-month-old strike.
Lazarus Maigoro, chairman of the University of Jos ASUU chapter, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday.
“The government’s pattern of response to issues is that of a serial promise-breaker. Like an unfaithful spouse, they are unable to match their words with action, which is affecting the education sector negatively,” stated Mr Maigoro.
The ASUU leader added, “In the light of this, we want Nigerians to know that we are no longer interested in the promises of an unfaithful philandering spouse.”
The union suspended a nine-month-old industrial action in December 2020.
The ASUU leader added, “We are tired of their deceit, and it is time for us to take action, and so we want to inform Nigerians that we are tired of fruitless meetings with the minister of labour, executive secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, the chief of staff to the president, among others.”
The university union pointed out that if the regime “ever wants us to listen to them, they should first of all act on the promises they have already made.”
The union chairman wondered why Mr Buhari’s regime had continued to defend the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS), a system thrashed by the office of the Auditor-General of the Federation.
Mr Maigoro maintained that the ASUU’s demands were not personal.
“In the meantime, we are resolved to proceed on an indefinite and comprehensive strike until fidelity returns to our relationship with the government and our demands are met. We are tired of going back and forth,” the union leader added.
“This Brownian motion must stop! We are determined to end the dubious pronouncements by the government claiming commitment to sound university education and fidelity to collective agreement.”
