Update On ASUU Strike: Withholding Our Salary Will Not Stop Us
The latest update on ASUU Strike as at morning of 24th September, 2013 is that the striking lecturers have now made a statement, saying that they would not call off the strike even if the Federal Government adopts the “No Work, No Pay” policy. When the Vice President took over the negotiations with ASUU, hopes of calling off the strike went so high amongst students. Now ASUU has come out to tell us they are not calling off the strike and now that they would not be deterred in their quest even if the FG withholds their salaries.
Read the full ASUU Latest News Update as reported by PunchNG:
Teachers in the nation’s public universities on Monday vowed to continue with the strike, declaring that the attempt by the Federal Government to withhold their salaries would not stop their action.
They also described a section of the National Association of Nigerian Students distancing themselves from the strike as “politically motivated students.”
The Chairman, Academic Staff Union of Universities, University of Abuja chapter, Dr. Clement Chup, stated this in an online interview with our correspondent.
The Federal Government, by withholding their salaries, he said, would not make them to abandon their cause.
He said, “Yes, the non-payment of our August salary is another attempt by the government to stampede us into breaking the strike, and as usual, it will not work. The economic war the government is employing has never, and will never yield any dividend.
“Our next line of action is to continue with the strike. We had, on July 2, commenced a total, comprehensive and indefinite strike action, and as long as the government does not meet our demand of implementing the FGN/ASUU 2009 agreement, the strike will continue.”
On comments by the leadership of NANS that the students were no longer supporting the strike, Chup said those making the call were “political and mercenary students.”
“The NANS that say they do not support us are the mercenary students. They are the political, non-matriculated students. Our genuine students do understand the issues that warranted the strike, and are fully in our support.”
Chup, an associate professor at UNIABUJA, also alleged that the Governor Gabriel Suswam-led NEEDS Assessment Committee was only interested in awarding contracts in the universities.
According to him, the committee is arbitrarily awarding contracts to the governing councils of the universities without considering the peculiarities of the schools.
He added, “The committee is merely giving letters of award to the governing councils and intends to handle the contracts, not minding the peculiarities of the universities.
“The question to ask the governor is, why insist on going ahead with the implementation of the projects when the committee has yet to agree with the principal party involved’? I think the Suswam committee was only interested in awarding contracts.”
Read More Updates on the 2013 ASUU Strike Here!
God Bless Nigeria!!!
ASUU-strike-Cartoon3-150×150. University lecturers yesterday reiterated their commitment to the ongoing strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, saying not even the attempt by the Federal Government to withhold their salaries would stop them from continuing with the strike action.