The Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta (FUNAAB) chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has demanded better welfare and payment of outstanding allowances from the Federal Government.
The lecturers, seeking improvements in the university system, voiced their demands during a protest held on the school premises in Abeokuta on Thursday.
According to reports, the protesters carried placards with various inscriptions, including “When will ASUU’s removal from IPPIS come to fruition or be implemented?” and “FG, fulfill your promise, fund public universities.”
Oluwagbenga Adeleye, Chairman of FUNAAB ASUU, stated that the protest was in solidarity with the union’s national body, which has been negotiating with the Federal Government to address their demands.
Adeleye expressed disappointment with the government’s refusal to meet their demands, stating that the situation was detrimental to the university system.
“The Federal Government is almost pushing us back to the trenches, and this is very unfortunate because we have tried our best.
“The union’s national body has done everything within its reach to get the attention of the Federal Government to improve the state of universities and improve our members’ salaries.
“All the promotion arrears that have been put on hold by the Federal Government, including the academic allowances since last year, have not been paid.
“Our three-and-a-half months’ withheld salaries have not been paid, even when the job has been done and duly completed. We can no longer keep quiet and behave as if everything is well.
“This protest is also to make Nigerians hear us and for those with friends in government to tell them that a crisis is looming in the university sector if the Federal Government refuses to listen to us,” he said.
Dr. Olusiji Sowande, the National Treasurer of ASUU, noted that the government had not met their demands, prompting the National Executive Council (NEC) to decide on certain actions.
Sowande emphasized that union members were not strike-mongers but were forced to protest due to the government’s refusal to address the issues at hand.
He appealed to the public and students to prevail on the government to negotiate with them and resolve the outstanding issues.
