ASUU members vow to protect university autonomy with their blood
Lecturers will not allow government antics roll back years of gain
The President of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi
National President Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) Professor Biodun Ogunyemi on Friday said scholars in Nigeria’s public universities are ready to protect incessant attacks on University autonomy by the federal government with the last drop of their blood.
Abiodun in Ibadan on Friday said the presidential directive for no work no pay was “meant for civil servants and university lecturers are not civil servants”
The ASUU boss who disclosed that the union had an understanding with President Muhammadu Buhari on January 9, 2020 to develop University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) which will be sensitive to the operations of the university system, respect autonomy and accommodate peculiarities.
Ogunyemi therefore stated that the President could not have directed his comment to the Union since he had agreed to the development of system sensitive software to manage personnel and payroll.
Ogunyemi who noted that the Union has spent millions of naira to develop UTAS which has been presented to Federal Ministry of Education while awaiting its presentation before Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning.
ASUU president said this is why the reported NO IPPIS, NO Salary cannot be directed to lecturers since the issue has been settled with the President to develop university system sensitive UTAS.
He said the union will not fold her arms and allow the gains it made during several years of struggle slip through the antics of government agencies who want to subsume the University system under their control
The ASUU boss maintained that “the idea of seeking clearance from the Head of Service or the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation is alien to university operations because it will halt its flexibility.”