The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) branch, has demanded for a better welfare and payment of outstanding allowances from the Federal Government.
The lecturers, who also sought for improved university system, made their demands known during a protest held at the school premises in Abeokuta on Thursday .
The lecturers carried placards with inscription such as ,” When will ASUU’s removal from IPPIS come to fruition or be implemented” , ” FG , fulfil your promise “, ” Stop balablue membership of the Governing Council of Nigerian Universities “, “IPPIS is a scam, FG, fulfil your promise fund to public universities ” .
The Chairman , ASUU FUNAAB, Oluwagbenga Adeleye , said that the protest was a solidarity action with the national body of the union, which had been negotiating with the federal government to address the union’s demands.
Adeleye expressed disappointment over the federal government’s refusal to address their demands, saying that the situation was not helping the university system.
According to him, the federal government is almost pushing us back to the trenches and this is very unfortunate because we have tried all our best .
” The national body of the union has done everything within its reach to get the attention of the federal government to improve the welfare of ASUU and improve their salaries.
“All the promotion arrears that has been hold by the federal government including the academic allowances since last year has not been paid.
” Our three and half months withheld salaries have not been paid even when the job have been done and duly completed , we can no longer keep quiet and behave as if everything is well.
“The protests is also to make Nigerians to hear and for those that have their friends in government to tell them that crises is looming in the University sector as if the federal government refuses to listen to us,” he said.
Dr Olusiji Sowande, National Treasurer of ASUU, stated that the government had not met their demands, and the National Executive Council (NEC) had decided on certain actions to be taken.
Sowande emphasised that the Union was not strike mongers but were forced to protest due to the government’s refusal to address their issues.
He appealed to the public and students to prevail on the government to negotiate with them and resolve the outstanding issues.
