By Ikenna Nwokedi 

Academic activities at the main campus of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka domiciled in the administrative capital of Anambra State was brought to a halt on Tuesday, 2nd July 2024 as teaching staff protested over poor condition of service and ill treatment of the Federal Government to University Lecturers.

Aggrieved members of the Union led by Comrade Prof. Kingsley Ubaoji embarked on a peaceful protest on the streets of the campus which kick-started as early as 9.30am from the ASUU NAU Secretariat to the beautiful gate from there to the administrative block and across major landmarks of the institution. 

Members of the Union displayed placards with various inscriptions such as: "Lecturers dignity matters, FG allow us breathe", Blame FG for another long strike", FG honour Nimi Briggs agreement", Pay us fairly, stop suffocating university lecturers.

In a press conference shortly before the peaceful protest march, ASUU UNIZIK Chapter Chairman, Comrade Ubaoji observed that the administration of President Ahmed Bola Tinubu is yet to engage fully the union to address all outstanding issues with ASUU decisively. 

The Union leader enumerated issues such as Renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU Agreement and implementation of the Prof. Nimi Briggs Report; Funding for the Revitalisation of Public Universities based on the FGN-ASUU MoU of 2012, 2013, and the MoA of 2017; Release of the 3 and half months of the withheld salaries; Payment of EAA; Release of unpaid staff salaries on sabbatical, adjunct due to IPPIS; Release of third-party deductions; Implementation of UTAS in place of IPPIS; Implementation of the Reports of the Visitation Panels; Illegal dissolution of Governing Councils in Federal and State Universities and Proliferation of public universities.

Ubaoji said: "As you are aware, many of these issues have outlived successive governments without any resolution, and other issues have been created by consecutive governments as well, like the implementation of the IPPIS, which came with the Muhammadu Buhari administration. 

"Historically, the government has made commitments and signed agreements with ASUU, detailing timelines and expectations of both parties aimed at developing the Nigerian Universities as conditions for suspending any strike action. As soon as Lecturers resumed, the government and other stakeholders returned to status quo," He submitted.

Comrade Ubaoji stated that the Union can guarantee of no ASUU industrial action if the Federal Government commits to fulfilling their promises of addressing urgently and with immediate effect the ten-point outstanding issues raised by the Union.

"If the FGN sets it's priorities right, all these could be resolved amicably without any industrial action. But the truth is that the government appears to have been treating these issues with some fun, which our union finds unacceptable," Ubaoji said.

Comrade Ubaoji informed that although the Federal Government held a meeting with the union last week after more than a year of inaction, the union wants to see necessary actions taken to resolve the lingering issues, which have grave consequences to the Nigerian University System. 

He called on the government to take immediate and decisive actions to address the critical issues.