ASUU MAY EMBARK ON ANOTHER STRIKE

Another strike by members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) is imminent as there is fear over the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding reached with the federal government. Indications emerged as the national treasurer of ASUU, Dr Tunde Aremu, while speaking at a luncheon held in honour of media for their roles in the last strike in Ibadan yesterday, disclosed that government was yet to release the N220 billion for 2014-2018 programmes. He warned that the gates of the universities might again be shut should government refuse to implement the MoU reached at the tail-end of the last strike. Aremu explained that the money was to be released on quarterly basis and deposited at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). However, he expressed fears that the MoU reached with the government before the last strike was called off might end up not being implemented as agreed. Wondering why the government let the last strike continue for 5 months, he said that they don't want another strike to be launched. While commending the media, Aremu said that the emancipation of Nigeria depends on the media and urged them not to rest in their oars. He said the struggle for the implementation of the 2009 agreement had been partially won and called on the media to beam their searchlights on the universities on how the money would be spent. Meanwhile the chairman University of Ibadan chapter of ASUU, Dr Olusegun Ajiboye, said the union had no option than to proceed on the inevitable strike since all avenues to let government realize the need to implement the agreement had failed. Ajiboye lamented that the government didn't manage to use the resources at its disposal to effectively fund the educational system of the country