The Academic Staff Union of Universities has placed the Federal government on a 21-day notice over its plans to embark on a nationwide strike.
Sources within the National Executive Council of ASUU confirmed the development to our correspondent in Abuja on Monday.
A copy of the resolutions at the NEC meeting held at the University of Ibadan is expected to be transmitted to the Federal Ministries of Labour and Education.
“It is not an ultimatum but a strike notice. We are giving them 21 days’ notice, after which we shall embark on strike.
“Our aim for putting out the notice is that it is a requirement under labour laws so we are trying to ensure that all our actions are done according to the law,” the source said.
ASUU had warned of an impending strike over the non-implementation of agreements reached with the federal government.
However, on June 26, the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman convened a meeting with the union to deliberate on the lingering issues affecting universities and to avert the planned downing of tools.
The national president of ASUU, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke who spoke on the outcome of the meeting said the agreements reached with the Federal Government had not been implemented.
“At the meeting called by the Minister of Education, we agreed that after two weeks, we will meet to see the progress the government has made.
“We will also see what we will do next if the government fails to implement the agreements reached.”
Osodeke said some of the demands included the non-implementation of the 2009 re-negotiated agreements.
ASUU President said the agreements had lingered for over six years, and the government had yet to implement them.
Osodeke said the academic allowances due to their members had also accumulated for over six years, and nothing had been done about it.
On the issue of the revitalisation fund, he said they agreed on the Needs Assessment Report to raise N200 billion yearly for five years.
“Since 2013, only one has been paid. We need revitalisation funds to upgrade our universities to standard so that we can have students and lecturers from outside the country,” he said.
The don added that the government had yet to stem the proliferation of universities, adding that many new universities were being approved without funds to run them.