The President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, said the challenge that led to the union’s ongoing strike can be sorted out in one day.
Osodeke made this know on Channels TV on Tuesday while reacting to the recent four weeks extension strike announced by the union last week.
The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), had given the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu a two weeks ultimatum to resolve the over 5-month-long ASUU strike.
However, at the end of the two weeks, which elapse last week, the union said their grievances and demands were not met, leading to the extension of the strike by another four weeks.
ASUU’s four weeks extension strike met with unpleasant comments even from students and parents who are calling on the association to cede their strike and come to a resolution with the Federal Government.
Reacting to the four weeks strike extension, the President of the association said the union were also expectant that the FG will in the two weeks ultimatum issued by the President get their demands met.
Professor Osodeke, further added that the current status of ASUU’s issue can be resolved in one day if the Federal Government took the matter seriously.
He said, “We were very hopeful, we thought that as soon as that announcement was made, that within one or two days, we’ll be called to a meeting. The issue remaining as of today is that where we are can be resolved within 24 hours if there’s seriousness on the part of the government.
“The issue of UTASS and IPISS have been tested and from what has been happening recently is clear to all Nigerians that the IPISS was just a fraudulent way of syphoning money from workers.
“As I speak when you go round Nigeria universities when you take the population not less than 10,000 of our members have one issue or the other with payment, either 5 months salary not paid, 8 months not paid 20 months not paid and what have you, we have a professor where they paid only 25 per cent of his salary and nothing happened.”
