By Joan Nwagwu
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has directed its members to resume all services hitherto withdrawn with effect from 12:01 on Friday.
The ASUU President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, President said this in a statement issued at the end of the union’s National Executive Council (NEC) emergency meeting on Friday in Abuja.
Osodeke said the meeting was called to review the developments since the union declared an indefinite strike action on Aug. 29.
He also said that for the avoidance of doubt, the issues include of funding for revitalisation of public universities, earned academic allowances, proliferation of public Universities, visitation panels/release of white papers.
He added that others are the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) as a broad spectrum software to stop illegality and provide for an alternative payment platform in the university system and renegotiation of the 2009 Agreement.
According to ASUU president, NEC noted with regrets that the issues in dispute are yet to be satisfactorily addressed.
“However, as a law-abiding union and in deference to appeals by Mr President and in recognition of the efforts of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila, and other well-meaning Nigerians, ASUU NEC resolved to suspend the strike action embarked upon on Feb. 14.
“Consequently, all members of ASUU are hereby directed to resume all services hitherto withdrawn with effect from 12:01 on Friday, Oct. 14, ‘’he said.
Osodeke however, noted that during the intervening period, the Minister of Labour and Employment, through a referral, approached the National Industrial Court (NIC).
According to him, for the interpretation of “the provision of sections 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 & 18 (1) of the Trade Dispute Act, Cap T8 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.
“Whether the on-going prolonged strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities which started since Feb. 14 is legal even after statutory apprehension by the Minister of Labour and Employment?
“In addition, he asked for an interlocutory order against the continuation of the strike,’’he added.
He said the National Industrial Court in its wisdom gave an order compelling ASUU to resume work pending the determination of the substantive suit.
Osodeke added that, given the nature of the order, and in the opinion of our counsel, there was the need to appeal the interlocutory injunction granted against our Union at the Court of Appeal.
He said the Court of Appeal acknowledged the validity of the grounds of the Union’s appeal but still upheld the order of the lower court.
“It ordered our union to comply with the ruling of the lower court as condition precedent for the appeal to be heard, ‘’he said.
NAN reports that ASUU began the strike on Feb. 14, 2022
NAN reports that appellate court, in a ruling delivered by a three-man panel led by Justice Hamma Barka, stressed that it would not entertain any appeal from ASUU, until it obeyed the order of the National Industrial Court, NIC. It, however, granted the aggrieved varsity lecturers the leave to proceed with the 14 grounds of appeal they earlier filed to set-aside the interlocutory injunction the NIC gave in favour of the Federal Government.
NAN reports that the Industrial Court on Sept. 21, ordered ASUU to call off the strike action in national interest and for the sake of undergraduates in the country.
It ordered the striking lecturers to return to the classroom, pending the determination of a suit FG filed to query the legality of their strike action.In a judgement on the Federal Government’s interlocutory injunction, Justice Polycarp Hamman stopped ASUU from continuing with the strike until the case was resolved.
Justice Polycap, who was on vacation, issued an order directing the Industrial Court president to reassign the case to a different judge. NAN.
