ASUU restates confidence in FG

The Academic Staff Union of Universities on Tuesday expressed the hope that the Federal Government would fulfill its promise contained in the Memorandum of Understanding of July.ASUU President, Prof. Ukachukwu Awuzie, told the News Agency of Nigeria in a telephone interview in Lagos that he was convinced government would respond positively.He said, "During the meeting we had with government and other stakeholders in July, we were told that government would come up with something positive by November 22."If this is done, then we all would be happy for it because we are all working in the right direction, all in the bid to move our country forward."We believe that they are responsible people who have the interest of the people at heart as much as we do." ASUU on September 26 embarked on a week-long warning strike following the non-implementation of the agreement it entered into with the government in 2009.However, at the expiration of the strike, the union gave the government up till November 22 to look into the issue and come up with something tangible.ASUU is, among others, demanding the extension of the retirement age of professors to 70 years from the current 65 years, funding for research and development, and improved welfare for university workers.According to Awuzie, there will be no need for any strike if government shows strong signs of commitment and respond to our demand because ASUU as a union is not strike-crazy."We do not want to start talking about strike because we believe government would respond to our demand and prevent a hitch in our academic calendar," he said.
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