The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in the Kogi State University (KSU) has threatened to resume its suspended strike, if the government fails to meet its demand.
Addressing reporters on Saturday, Acting Chairman Dr. Daniel Aina, and Assistant Secretary, Dr Moses Daikwo, alleged that the government reneged on its promises.
Dr Aina said they might resume the strike, which was suspended on July 29 after three months of ‘no pay no work’ action.
ASUU-KSU said while they were not against workers’ screening, it must, however, not be detrimental to the university system.
They accused the university’s administration and the governing council of selective salary payment, which they claimed excluded about 195 professors and doctorate degree holders for three months.
“We find it expedient to draw your attention to the present state of things, as it relates to the ASUU-KSU versus government saga. Between April 14 and July 29, ASUU-KSU was on a ‘no pay no work’ action to press for prompt payment of salaries for academic staff.
“We insisted it was one valid reason for staff exodus, and is capable of leading our members into corrupt tendencies. We also highlighted that the tax regime imposed on us was outrageously higher than what obtains elsewhere; that the non-implementation of the new pension scheme with its domestication in the institution, coupled with the lip-service to the implementation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU agreement on the payment of 2009 to 2014 Earned Academic Allowances (EAA) are not acceptable.
“When the government gave the order to the university interim council to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), we conceded. The payment of one month salary before resumption of work may not be surprising since the government was desperate for academic activities to resume.
“The continuous delay in salary payment is a clear indication that the government is not giving the required attention to the ivory tower and a lack of appreciation of its potential, but so long as this subsists, KSU Anyigba will continue to experience exodus of academic staff, which is detrimental to the accomplishment of its statutory obligations.
“We do not want to be misunderstood as to demean the screening ordered by the governor. What we are saying is that the university has a system which is entirely autonomous. The present situation is detrimental to the system; it demeans the system and is capable of eliciting the exit of some academics, not to say it has.”