ASUU Strike: Yobe lecturers reject Gov. Buni’s appeal, vow to continue strike

The Yobe State University branch of the Academic Staff Union of Universities(ASUU) has rejected a plea by the state governor, Mai Mala Buni, for its members to pull out of the ongoing national strike of the union and resume work.

PREMIUM TIMES reports that Mr Buni, last week, sent a representative who appealed to the lecturers and the management of the university to resume classes. He claimed that the state university has no justification for joining the strike as the state government has no outstanding issue with them.

But after a meeting of its congress on Tuesday, the lecturers said they would continue the strike action.

Speaking via a communique signed by the branch chairperson, Mohammed Jajare, and the Secretary, Umar Mustapha, the union said contrary to the claim of the state government, there are several unresolved issues between it and the state government. The union states that it has in fact, threatened to go on strike several times without any positive response from the state government.

The branch listed some of these issues as the failure of the government to pay their Earned Academic Allowances(EAA), Postgraduate Study Grant and Salary Arrears of Promoted Staff and the lack of the Implementation of the Revised Consolidated University Academic Salary Structure all amounting to outstanding of millions of naira.

“In view of these, the Congress resolved to continue with the National Strike action while pressing for the settlement of its lingering branch issues to avoid impending local strike after the national strike is called off,” the statement said.

The spokesperson to the governor, Mamman Mohammed, in response to the lecturers’ decision, said Mr Buni will not stop engaging the lecturers to end the impasse.

On the issue of whether the governor will consider the no work no pay option on the institution, Mr Mamman said “it won’t get to that level”.

Mr Mamman said as a state that has suffered so much loss in the educational sector due to the insurgency and the declaration of emergency on the sector should be appreciated by the lecturers.

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“I think the lecturers have been in solidarity with the National body long enough. It is high time they disengaged from the strike and considered the plight of the people in the state and appreciate the effort of Gov. Buni in revamping the educational sector in the state,” Mr Mamman said.

Below is the full statement of the Yobe State University branch of ASSU as released today:

CONGRESS RESOLUTION ON THE ONGOING NATIONAL STRIKE

The Congress of Academic Staff Union of Universities, Yobe State University Branch (ASUU-YSU) met on Tuesday, 10th May 2022 to review the ongoing national strike and the outstanding local branch issues and noted as follows:

1. That the Branch joined the ongoing national strike as a chartered member of ASUU not on a solidarity basis is widely misunderstood by the public.

2. That the branch has an impending local strike action which led to three different ultimatums given to the government dated 7th and 18th January, 2021 as well as 18th February, 2021 respectively; upon its lingering branch issues which as follows:

i. Earned Academic Allowances (EAA): A total sum of Sixty Eight Million, Four Hundred and Twenty Three Thousand, One Hundred and Sixty Six Naira, Twenty Four Kobo (N68,423,166.24K) was submitted by the Branch since 25thAugust, 2021 as 2019/2020 Excess Workload. Teaching Practice Industrial Supervision/Field Trip as well as Postgraduate Supervision Allowances claims as enshrined in article 3.2 of ASUU-FGN 2009 Agreement (Pg. 15-17). Up till now no response.

ii. Postgraduate Study Grant and Salary Arrears of Promoted Staff: A submission of two hundred and fifty four million, seven hundred and four thousand, five hundred. and thirty nine Naira (N254,704,539) was also made by the Branch since 7th March, 2019 as Postgraduate Study Grant and Salary Arrears claims, as contained in article 3.2(d) of ASUU-FGN 2009 Agreement (Pg. 15) and article 2 and 3 of ASUU-FGN New Memorandum of Action 2019 (Pg. 2-3) respectively. Many reminders were forwarded to the management as well as the State Government but to no avail.

iii. Implementation of Revised Consolidated University Academic Salary Structure II (CONUASS II): With the Implementation of the new National Minimum Wage in the State, the ASUU-YSU Branch requested for the implementation of the revised Consolidated University Academic Salary Structure II (CONUASS II) for its members as approved by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission on 14th November, 2019 and implemented in all Federal Universities since February 2020. Despite several reminders dated 20″ and 27th January, 2020 as well as 24th February. 2020 and 2nd July, 2020 but no positive response from the concerned authorities.

3. In view of these, the Congress resolved to continue with the National Strike action while pressing for the settlement of its lingering branch issues to avoid impending local strike after the national strike is called off.

Mohammed S.Jajere, Ph.D Branch Chairperson

Umar M. Mustapha, PhD

Branch Asst. Secretary