ASUU, SSANU back planned NLC protest
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) have backed the planned nationwide solidarity protest by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday.
In separate interviews with The PUNCH, the striking university unions said the Federal Government was yet to meet any of their demands.
“We have not heard anything from the FG and no formal invitation from them. All they have been saying was that the planned protest is illegal. They don’t want to do what they are supposed to do,” National President of ASUU, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke said.
Also, the National President, SSANU, Mr Ibrahim Mohammed, said: “I have not been contacted and my union has not been contacted. As I speak to you we are still expectant that they will speak to us but the protest will still go on.
“The protest is an expression of our feelings on how we are being treated. Today is the 128th day of our strike. All universities have been shut, but their children are in private schools and abroad. So, what do you expect from them?”
When asked in a separate interview if Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu had reached out to ASUU after last week’s presidential directive to ensure the issues around the strike are resolved, Osodeke said: “We spoke and it was agreed that we would meet, but we are still awaiting official communication as regards that.”
ASUU had been on strike for more than five months over impasse with the Federal Government on the Integrated Payroll and Personnel information system (IPPIS).
