By Douglas Okoro
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu Alike (AE-FUNAI) branch has joined its counterparts in the one-month nationwide warning strike.
This is contained in a statement issued in Abakaliki on Wednesday jointly signed by Dr Ogugua Egwu and Dr Joseph Chukwu, branch chairperson and secretary respectively.
The leaders said that the action followed the outcome of an emergency congress of the union held on Feb. 15 at the institution’s auditorium.
The ASUU branch of AE-FUNAI said that the lecturers joined the strike in compliance with the directive from its national body.
According to the association, the National Executive Council (NEC) has declared four weeks roll-over total and comprehensive nation-wide strike following Federal Government’s failure to fully implement the renegotiated agreement reached with the union in 2020.
“On Monday, Feb 14, 2022, ASUU National Executive Council declared a four-week roll-over total and comprehensive strike.
“The strike is due to the inability of FG to fully implement the 2020 Memorandum of Action it signed with ASUU on Dec 23, 2021.
“The draft report of the renegotiated 2009 FG/ASUU Agreement has been submitted for finalisation for more than nine months,’’ the association said.
The association said that the payment of ASUU salaries and emoluments with Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) and non-adoption of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) had continued to short-change members.
“NEC resolved to embark on a four-week roll-over total and comprehensive strike action beginning from Monday, Feb. 14. It also directed all branches to activate the action on or before Wednesday, Feb 16.
“In line with the foregoing, AE-FUNAI branch of ASUU held an emergency congress on Feb. 15 and unanimously activated the strike action in the branch at 3.28pm.
“By this action, ASUU members of AEFUNAI will not participate in lectures; meetings, supervisions, examinations, marking, grading and other academic activities during the four-week period, the association said.
The AE-FUNAI branch of ASUU said that in order to enhance compliance, a monitoring committee has been set up with the charge of daily situation report to the executive committee on compliance to the strike.
The union therefore urged members to endeavour to comply with the guidelines as stipulated noting that defaulters would be sanctioned.
”Strike bulletins will be released whenever necessary; remember that divided we ‘beg’ and, united we bargain and win,” the association said. (NAN)
