ASUU’s demands outrageous, unnecessary – Keyamo

The Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, on Friday, slammed the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) for making outrageous demands on its dispute with the Federal Government.

The union embarked on a 30-day warning strike on February 14 over the federal government’s failure to honour agreements signed by both parties.

ASUU demands include the revitalisation of public universities, payment of earned academic allowances and the deployment of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) for payment of university lecturers’ salaries, among others.

The union extended its strike for another 30 days on Monday, the fourth since the industrial action commenced about six months ago.

The minister, who featured in a Channels Television’s programme, Politics Today, said UTAS failed the integrity test and blamed the union for the continued closure of public universities.

READ ALSO: Students demand Adamu, Ngige’s sack over ASUU strike

He berated ASUU for its stubborn persistence in wrongdoing

Keyamo, therefore, appealed to parents to beg the striking lecturers to return to class for the sake of the students.

He said: “We are facing critical financial challenges at the moment. The UTAS presented for scrutiny failed completely. Besides, if the government answers ASUU it would give room for other layers to make unnecessary demands. How can you have a government with different types of its employees developing different methods by which they should be paid? Only an irresponsible government would consider that.

“The situation we are in now involves everybody. Nigerians should appeal to ASUU to go back to class. Parents should also beg the Union. It has got to that level. The prolonged strike is unnecessary.”

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