By Today marks the 196th day since the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) commenced its lingering strike that has crippled academic activities across campuses of public tertiary institutions.
Some of the union’s demands include the renegotiation of the 2009 agreement, funding for the revitalisation of tertiary institutions, payment of outstanding academic allowances, and particularly the controversy surrounding the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).
The industrial action by the striking lecturers, which commenced in February, has lasted for over six months, grounding academic activities in public tertiary institutions and forced thousands of students to stay home with their lives put on hold.
While ASUU and the Federal Government had held series of meetings in the past, it appears both parties are yet to find a common ground as the strike got hit by multiple extensions.
Announcing the recent four-week extension of the strike on August 1, ASUU National President, Emmanuel Osodeke had cited the failure of the Nigerian government to fulfill its promises and heed the call.
One issue that particularly stands out is the controversial IPPIS, which the union alleged to have been imposed on them by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration. Instead, ASUU proposed its own payment platform called the Universities Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS), but of course, the Federal Government, from its body language, isn’t ready to give in.
Amid the back and forth between the two elephants, the biggest victims are the Nigerian students whose academic dreams and career hopes are currently hanging in the balance with no hope in sight.
Meanwhile, eyes will be on ASUU as its National Executive Council (NEC) holds in Abuja today. The outcome of the meeting will, no doubt, determine a lot — whether the industrial action continues to bares its fangs on the students or they finally get to find their way back to the classrooms after a six-month hiatus.
