ACADEMIC STAFF UNION OF UNIVERSITIES (ASUU),
BAUCHI ZONE
ASUU WARNING STRIKE ESCALATING TO FULL-BLOWN INDEFINITE STRIKE: HOLD FGN RESPONSIBLE
Being Text of a Press Conference by the Zonal Coordinator of ASUU, Bauchi Zone, on the on-going Nationwide ASUU Warning Strike, held at the ASUU Secretariat, University of Jos, on Friday, 20th March, 2020

Protocol.
Gentlemen of the press.

1. Preamble
   It is no more news that the National Executive Council (NEC) of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has, as part of the strike suspended on the 7th February, 2019, embarked on a two-week Warning Strike to draw the attention of the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN), to the implementation of the components of the Memorandum of Action (MoA) signed before the suspension of that Strike in February, 2019. While the Warning Strike lasts, the Bauchi Zone of ASUU calls on the FGN to harken to the plight of Nigerian students, their parents, their lecturers and the public, by implementing the 2019 FGN/ASUU MoA, in order to avoid the escalation of the Warning Strike into a full-blown strike.

By the way, the Bauchi Zone of ASUU comprises of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi, Bauchi State University, Gadau (BASUG), Federal University, Kashere (FUK), Gombe State University (GSU), Gombe, Plateau State University (PLASU), Bokkos and University of Jos (UNIJOS), Jos. The Bauchi Zone of ASUU, while re-iterating and reaffirming its unrelenting support to ASUU National Leadership and NEC in the on-going Struggle, wishes to assure FGN that the faithful implementation of the MoA coupled with a meaningful engagement of ASUU on the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) is the only way towards the resolution of this problem. There is no alternative to this!

This Press Conference is aimed at presenting the issues in contention as contained in the February, 2019 MoA, provision of update on their implementation since February, 2019, presentation on the apparent position/antics of FGN and final stand of ASUU.

1. Components of the FGN/ASUU 2019 MoA
   Specifically, the components of the MoA are:
   a. Provision of sustainable Funding and Funding for Revitalization of Public Universities by FGN,
   b. Payment of the arrears of Earned Academic Allowances (EAA) up to 2018 in four equal installments and the mainstreaming of further payments into the annual Budgets beginning from 2019
   c. Payment of arrears of shortfall in salaries and its stoppage,
   d. State Universities; where a Consultative Committee is to address the issue of proliferation, under funding and interference in governance by State Governments,
   e. Payment of EAA to loyal ASUU members in University of Ilorin
   f. Issuance of operating licenses to NUPEMCO
   g. Reconstitution of Visitation Panels to Federal Universities fixed for 11th March, 2019, and
   h. Reconstitution of Government Renegotiation Team and the commencement of a six-week Renegotiation on the 18th February, 2019
2. Update on implementation
   ASUU is grossly disappointed at the lack of commitment displayed by Federal Government towards the implementation of the February 2019 MoA aimed at persuading the Union to suspend the 2018/2019 Industrial Action then. To date, apart from the Payment of arrears of shortfall in salaries to Universities, Payment of EAA to loyal ASUU members in University of Ilorin and the Approval in Principle of the operating licenses to NUPEMCO, all the other issues have remained unattended to.
   Despite this and several written reminders, ASUU had remained calm and patient throughout 2019 and beyond.
3. Antics of Government
   It is clear that ASUU has given Government a very long rope. Ordinarily, one would have expected Government to reciprocate this gesture with a faithful implementation of the remaining five (5) aspects of the 2019 MoA. Instead, Government has resorted to blackmailing ASUU, encouraging a division in the Union and a forceful implementation of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), an issue that has already been settled since 2014, among others.

Ladies and Gentlemen, apart from being inconsistent with the Universities’ Laws where it has violated some parts of Section 2AA of the Universities Miscellaneous Provision (Amendment) Act 2003, depriving the Council of its freedom to discharge its function of disbursement of funds for Personnel costs, Overhead costs, etc., IPPIS has a lot of implementation problems in the University System as clearly seen in its use to pay the February 2020 salary to those who enrolled. The adverse effects of IPPIS in the University System are so enormous as it has remained unfortified and inflexible to the System. The Nigerian University System possesses the mechanisms to solve the problem its vendors have claimed as the main aims of developing and using it.
Therefore, the Universities should be allowed to operate an individually independent System, controlled by their various Councils and supervised by the National Universities Commission (NUC), in line with International Standards and Global Best Practices and not a centralised and dependent structure of the civil service.
ASUU views the implementation of IPPIS as diversionary from the main issues in contention and is forthwith rejected. As a rider to this, ASUU is proposing an alternative to IPPIS in the Universities, which is the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS), which is consistent with the University Laws and accommodating to the peculiarities of the University System in Nigeria.
It has come to the knowledge of ASUU, Bauchi Zone that the Minister of Labour and Employment has been blackmailing ASUU that the Warning Strike is illegal while the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning has been busy misrepresenting facts on the enrolment into IPPIS. They are all not correct; the Strike is legal while members of ASUU have really shunned the enrolment into IPPIS.
It has also come to our notice that the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education has attempted to threaten members of ASUU and other Nigerians that “… at periods of good governance, Government Policy could be more superior to Law.” This is a very dangerous path to navigate. It is difficult to convince ASUU members and other Nigerians on the existence of good governance since Agreements, MoU and MoA reached and signed are not respected, honored and implemented by Government.

1. The Position of ASUU
   It was the resolve of the National Executive Council of ASUU at the FUT Minna Meeting in December 2019 and reaffirmed at the ESUT Meeting on the 8th March, 2020, that the issues be put in their correct perspectives and the Federal Government’s attention be drawn to the February 2019 MoA it signed with ASUU, for the sole purpose of Immediate Implementation without Further Delay.
   ASUU shall neither be intimidated nor diverted by the antics of Government. Enough of the blackmail, misrepresentation of facts and threats! There shall be no retreat and no surrender in this war for the souls of the Nigerian Public Universities.
2. Clarion Call
   The public is once more called upon to join ASUU in imparting pressure on the Government to live up to its National responsibility by honouring the agreements, the MoUs, the Roadmaps and the MoAs it willingly and freely entered with ASUU. We have a moral responsibility to ensure that the Pubic University System is not extinguished in Nigeria.
   ASUU wishes to convey its appreciation to the students, parents, Civil Society Organisations and general public for the continued understanding and support in this struggle. Like Oliver Twist, ASUU is requesting for more.
   ASUU, Bauchi Zone also appreciates the National Assembly, specifically the House of Representatives for the attempted intervention of the Speaker and his Team, and the courageous and bold presentations of two members of the House of Representatives on the matter. We look forward to the National Assembly to do more.
   Strike has always remained the last option to ASUU, The Bauchi Zone of ASUU wishes to appeal to all stakeholders, particularly FGN, to do the needy in order to stop the escalation and metamorphosis of this Warning Strike into a Full-blown, Total, Comprehensive and Indefinite Strike.
   Aluta Continua! Victoria Acerta!!
   Thank you for listening!
   20/02/2020
   Prof. Lawan G. Abubakar
   Zonal Coordinator, ASUU, Bauchi Zone

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ASUU -Hold FGN Responsible for Full Blown Indefinite Strike