The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) chapter, has urged Nigerians to prevail on government to do the needful before the expiration of the 21 days ultimatum.
The Chairman of UNN-ASUU chapter, Comrade Oyibo Eze, made the call at the end of its Congress and peaceful protest at the university campus in Nsukka on Thursday.
While handing over the protest letter to Prof Romanus Ezeokonkwo, the Ag Vice-chancellor of UNN, Eze said the protest was not against UNN but against the Federal Government who had failed to implement agreements reached with ASUU since 2009.
"This protest march is to create awareness and urge Nigerians to prevail on the government to do the needful before the expiration of the 21 days ultimatum.
"UNN-ASUU has agreed in the congress to support the nationwide indefinite strike if government fails to do the needful," he said.
He said the aim of the congress was to get members opinion on 21 days ultimatum given to Federal Government by ASUU National Leadership to address the union's demands since 2009 or risk nationwide indefinite strike.
"I thank you all for speaking in one voice to support nationwide strike at the expiration of the 21 days ultimatium.
"It's unfortunate that all the agreements the Federal Government signed with ASUU since 2009 have not been implemented.
"This congress resolution is that if after 21 days and government fails to implement all agreements entered with ASUU since 2009, national leadership should proceed on indefinite nationwide strike.
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"Members in this congress say enough is enough of government insincerity in redeeming the agreements it signed since 2009," he said.
Recall that after the congress members carried out a peaceful protest from the Faculty of Social Sciences in UNN to the Main Gate and ended at the Administrative Building where the union handed over a protest letter to the UNN Ag Vice-chancellor.
Some of the placards carried by the ASUU protesters have these inscriptions; "Kill Education, kill the Nation," "Nigeria lecturers are the least paid globally," Government should honour agreement with ASUU since 2009 It is a moral question,"
Others were "Government stop forcing ASUU to embark on strike," "Government don't kill university education in Nigeria" among others.
Responding, Ezeokonkwo , who was represented by Prof Johnson Urama, the Deputy Vice-chancellor Academic commended the union for the peaceful protest.
The Ag VC lauded the various interventions by ASUU national leader through agitations that had gone a long way in improving infrastructures, teaching and learning in public universities.
"I commend you for this peaceful protest in urging the government to implement all the demands with ASUU since 2009," he said.
It will be recalled that ASUU had recently in its 21 days ultimatium charged the Federal Government to meet its demands bothering on the renegotiation of the 2009 ASUU/FGN agreement.
Other demands included poor funding of the universities, breach of university autonomy, particularly through the Integrated Personal Payment Information System (IPPIS).
Non-payment of Earned Academic Allowance (EAA) and nonpayment of withheld salaries among others.
