ASUU’s President Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke
By Our Reporter
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has said the issues contained in its dispute with the Federal Government were yet to be satisfactorily addressed.
Following the suspension of the body’s eight-month-old strike after an emergency meeting of its National Executive Council held at the University of Abuja on Thursday 13 October, lecturers resumed work on Friday.
However, ASUU in a statement on Friday, said the issues of their welfare, the plan for a new agreement, and the no-work-no-pay policy were yet to be addressed by the presidency.
The body, in the statement which was signed by its National President, Prof Emmanuel Osodeke, explained the process that led to the strike’s suspension.
It said, “The National Industrial Court in its wisdom gave an order compelling ASUU to resume work pending the determination of the substantive suit. Given the nature of the order, and in the opinion of our counsel, there was the need to appeal the interlocutory injunction granted against our union at the Court of Appeal.
“The Court of Appeal acknowledged the validity of the grounds of the union’s appeal but still upheld the order of the lower court and ordered our union to comply with the ruling of the lower court as a condition precedent for the appeal to be heard.”
The body commended the interventions of the leadership of the House of Representatives and other well-meaning Nigerians who waded into the matter, but pointed out that issues in contention were yet to be addressed by the government.
It said, “While appreciating the commendable efforts of the leadership of the House of Representatives and other patriotic Nigerians who waded into the matter, NEC noted with regrets that the issues in dispute are yet to be satisfactorily addressed.”
