The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria chapter, has vowed to continue with its ongoing seven-month-old strike as it rejected the proposals tabled by the federal government for the union’s consideration.
The federal government last week Friday had, among others, proposed to work with ASUU to find a source of alternative funding for the university system in order to reactivate the Memorandum of Understanding of 2013 as agreed in the Memorandum of Action (MoA) of 2019 between the federal government and the union.
Similarly, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, said the Accountant General of the Federation would on or before November 6 release N30 billion as part payment of the Earned Academic Allowance of ASUU members, while the remaining N10 billion would be spread equally in two tranches to be paid in May 2021 and February 2020.
However, in a unanimous decision at a congress at Mamman Kontagora Square, members of the ABU chapter of ASUU said they would only agree to call off their strike if the federal government begins to implement the agreements reached with the union.
While presenting the federal government’s proposals, the chairman of the chapter, Professor Rabiu Nasiru, said the national body of ASUU has directed all its branches to make their positions known before the end of yesterday in preparation for Wednesday’s meeting between ASUU and the federal government’s representatives.