In a bid to set the records about the details of the strike action straight, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has made a fresh disclosure that no agreement had actually been signed between them and the federal government before they had called off the eight month strike.
The President of ASUU, Emmanuel Osodeke had made this disclosure on Monday during a meeting with some of the leadership of the House of Representatives.
It would also be recalled that the Appeal Court had also affirmed the ruling of the National Industrial Court that asked the union to return to school and however, before the ruling by the court, the House had brokered some agreements between the union and the executive.
In the meeting, Mr Osodeke said the lecturers acted in good faith by calling off the strike without any written agreement.
“The strike we called off, our members did it based on trust in us and the way the speaker has intervened—three meetings now—it was on that basis we were able to convince them.
“What we agreed on the issue of IPPIS and UTAS is a temporary measure. We were challenged to do it. We had to spend our money and our resources. In 2020, we were challenged to produce it, he said.
Reacting to the comment made by ASUU president, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila had revealed that there is no need for ASUU to request a written agreement that the House is working with the executive.
He gad also cited the provision of N470 billion in the 2023 budget by President Muhammadu Buhari and the agreement to adjust the IPPIS to accommodate the peculiarities of ASUU.
Mr Gbajabiamila also announced that the House will host an education summit to address the issues facing the sector.
