The purported calling off nine months strike by Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has taken a new dimension on Wednesday as the Union gave the government the condition for its members to resume their duties.
ASUU President, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi stated that lecturers would only return to classes when the federal government provides a conducive teaching environment in line with COVID-19 protocols.
Ogunyemi made this known while fielding questions from journalists in Abuja, after the Union called off the nine months strike after reaching agreement with the federal government.
Representatives of both ASUU and the federal government had met to strengthen our agreements reached after months of negotiations on issues bordering on recapitalisation of Universities and a platform with which to effect payment of ASUU members. Government has proposed to start the payment of ASUU staff with the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) which ASSU rejected.
However, Ogunyemi said: ‘We usually said we did not close the universities, the government remains the owner of the universities, be it state or federal.
‘As far as we are concerned, we are ready to resume classes. But the government should make the environment conducive for us to work within the context of the emerging trend of COVID-19.
‘So, we can’t tell the government not to open but we have the right to insist that the COVID-19 protocols should be observed and the requirements for observing the protocols should be met.’
AFRICA TODAY NEWS, NEW YORK