We won’t go back to classes on empty stomachs – ASUU members say as strike enters eight month

It appears there is no end in sight to the lingering ASUU strike as members of the union in Calabar have vowed to continue with the strike until the Federal Government meets the union’s demands, saying they will not go back to the classes on empty stomachs.

Dr Aniekan Brown who is the zonal chairman of the union, disclosed this when he addressed a press conference at the University of Calabar on Monday, November 2.

“Sometimes, either by deliberate ill-intended machinations or for want of understanding, ASUU’s struggles are misunderstood. In the light of the above, it considered expedient to engage the public, to bring to the fore ASUU’s stance on the on-going strike action, and the government-induced distraction known as the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System and the Federal Government of Nigeria’s illicit commitment, hard-work, determination, and treachery to forcefully migrate staff of Federal Universities to IPPIS.” he said

The press conference was attended by ASUU chairmen from universities in the zone which comprises Abia State University, Akwa Ibom State University, Cross River University of Technology, Alex Ekwueme University, Ebonyi, University of Uyo and University of Calabar.

Nigerian Universities have been closed for eight months after ASUU declared an indefinite strike in March this year. The union’s president, Professor Biodun Ogunyemi, who announced the strike at a press conference, said the strike is over the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System and the non-implementation of the 2009 agreement.