The Herald reported yesterday that the Academic Staff Union of Universities did not intend to call off the strike this week, and instead would pass on more demands to the Presidency. This was one of the decisions reached at its secret Executive Council meeting held over the weekend.
One of these demands is the payment of salary arrears accrued during the period the Union was on strike. ASUU members feel they deserve to be paid during the period they were not working.
Another demand being tabled by ASUU to the Presidency is the immediate payment of N100 billion as part of the university intervention fund, with the balance of N1.1 trillion spread over the next five years.
Tempers flared at the meeting over the death of ASUU former President, Festus Iyayi, and some ASUU members had initially wanted to torpedo the negotiations with government as they felt government was directly responsible for his death. However cooler heads prevailed and it was decided that since President Jonathan had been the first President to ever meet with ASUU leadership over their grievances that they would honour him by proceeding with negotiations. They also based their decision to cater to the “welfare of parents and students”.
Another key decision reached at the NEC meeting was to have the N1.2 trillion warehoused at the Central Bank of Nigeria and released to the universities quarterly so as to prevent any reneging of the agreement. The Trade Union Congress and the National Universities Commission are also expected to be guarantors of the agreement.