ASUU urges Nigerian govt to meet demands with $23m Abacha loot

The President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, said on Tuesday the union would continue to negotiate with the Federal Government on the quick resolution of the dispute between both parties.

Osodeke stated this when he featured in a Channels Television’s programme, Politics Today.

ASUU extended its six-month-old strike indefinitely on Monday.

Several meetings between both parties on how to resolve the dispute have ended in a deadlock.

The varsity teachers are demanding a review of the condition of service, revitalisation of public universities, and adoption of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) as an alternative to the Integrated Payroll and Personal Information System (IPPIS) for payment of salaries, among others.

The ASUU president lamented that the federal government has been pleading with the union to suspend the strike instead of solving the problems that brought about the industrial action.

Osodeke, who dismissed reports of cracks in ASUU, asked the government to address the union’s demands with the $23 million recovered from the family of the late dictator, Gen. Sani Abacha, by the United States government.

READ ALSO: ASUU announces indefinite strike to ’save universities’, accuses Nigerian govt of indifference

Nigeria and the US signed an agreement on the repatriation of the funds last week.

There were reports of division in ASUU after some state universities opted to resume academic activities in defiance to the directive of the union’s national leadership.

Osodeke said: “It is unfortunate that instead of solving the problem, the federal government is pleading with ASUU. Appealing does not solve the problem. ASUU remains open to negotiations with the government.

“Let me clarify this matter once and for all, there are no cracks in ASUU. Also, there was never a time that I described universities as quacks.

“If this government truly wants this matter to be resolved, there is nothing that stops them from using the $23 million Abacha loot to meet ASUU’s demands.”

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