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The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Monday embarked on indefinite strike following the refusal of the Federal Government to sign the agreement reached by the union and the government negotiating team.

ASUU in a press conference addressed by its President, Prof. Ukachukwu Awuzie in Akure on Monday said the decision of the union to embark on the strike became imperative in view of FG antics toward signing the agreement
Prof Awuzie stated that both ASUU and government negotiating team led by Gamaliel Onosode reached an agreement over two years ago for a minimum point in which Nigerian universities system would make a significant progress among others saying the FG instead of signing the pact, has been using unnecessary delay tactics, a development which he said to led the two weeks warning strike.

The ASUU president said that since December 2008 when the negotiation between FGN-ASUU teams was completed, ASUU has exercised patience for over two years to avoid any strike that might paralyze the academic activities. “But the government did not treat ASUU’s patience with sincerity”

He said that federal government had dribbled ASUU officials on about three occasions that the agreement would be signed only to discover that the Federal Government was not serious about the issue.
Prof Awuzie also said that ASUU embarked on the strike because the situation remained unchanged since the end of the two weeks warning strike on May 31 2009.

“Instead of the Federal Government to sign the agreement, we keep on hearing actions that are entirely phoney to the collective bargaining process, such as government setting up a technical committee on agreement without reference to negotiating team while a ministerial committee was set up with terms of reference that would entirely nullify the negotiated agreement,” he said.

“Our members have come to the conclusion that over two and half years of patience is enough, they feel betrayed, duped and do not want to suffer any more psychological or moral trauma. NEC considered carefully the views of the branches and resolved that ASUU’s major concern in engaging in such a long, painstaking negotiation – the revitalization of the university system, will not be compromised,” he said.

ASUU said that its action to go on strike was propelled by the FG’s nonchalant attitude and deceit.
“For the avoidance of doubt, it is the government that has forced us to embark upon this strike. We have done all our best to avoid it. And it can be as short as possible if the government respects and signs the agreement reached with ASUU by the government’s own negotiating team.”