Absu ASUU members protest non implementation of agreement by federal government
Ogbonnaya Ikokwu, Umuahia
Members of the Academic Staff of Universities in Abia State University Uturu, staged a peaceful protest on Tuesday to demand an increase of their salary and other welfare packages.
The union members marched round the campus with play cards with the following instructions, Absu Say no to any sort of fake loan from the Federal government, No going back to renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU agreement.
Others read , “Absu say there is no going back on renegotiation, our pay cannot take us home anymore, some of our members have not received their salary for one year”.
Speaking during the protest the ASUU chairman in the University
Dr Chidi Mba, said the union members were no longer comfortable with the delay by the Federal government to increase their salary.
He also added that the union wants the Federal government to pay attention to the infrastructure development of Universities to make the environment conducive for learning.
Mba lamented that the salary of workers in other sectors have been increased, while that of lecturers remained static, adding they want an increase salary and not loan from the Federal government.
He said, “You can recall that since 2009, ASUU went into agreement with the Federal government. The agreement borders on our welfare, the welfare of the university and the privatization of universities.
“Not only our welfare, but also the infrastructural development of all the universities. And from 2009 to date, the Federal government has refused to sign that agreement.
“We have written so many letters to remind them of this, and they have not done anything.
“So today we’ve come to sensitize all the stakeholders of the consequences of the action, so that when we embark on strike, they will not hold us responsible. That we’ve done all the needful, since 2009 to date. And it should be on record that it’s only lecturers that their salary has been static.
“So this rally is going on in all universities, and we are doing our own now. We’ve just finished our conference, and we’re moving for the rally.
When asked if the union will embark on industrial action Mba said the union will announce its next move after its NEC meeting.
“After this protest we will go for what we call a neck-for-neck meeting.At the neck-for-neck meeting we’ll decide on what action to take”.