THE Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has joined the ongoing strike by the organised labour in Nigeria.
The nationwide strike, led by Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) is due to the federal government’s failure to increase workers’ new minimum wage offer above N60,000 and reverse electricity tariff hike.
In a statement on Monday, June 3, addressed to ASUU’s branch chairpersons and zonal coordinators, the association’s president, Emmanuel Osodeke, instructed university lecturers nationwide to join the strike as an affiliate of the congress.
The statement read, “The NLC has declared an indefinite strike action beginning from Monday, 3rd June 2024, as a result of the failure of government to conclude the renegotiation of minimum wage for Nigerian workers and reversal of hike in electricity tariff.
“Our branches are hereby enjoined to join in the strike action as an affiliate member of congress.
“Consequently, branch chairpersons are to mobilise all members to participate in the strike action.”
The ICIR reports that the directive will lead to suspension of academic activities in all public universities in the country.
Recall that the organised labour unions insisted on the nationwide strike today, Monday, June 3, after negotiations between federal government representatives, National Assembly leaders, and officials from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) ended in a stalemate.
The meeting, held behind closed doors at the National Assembly complex in Abuja, started at around 5:50 p.m. and concluded at 8:45 p.m., on Sunday, June 2.
Addressing journalists after the session, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, said the government pleaded with the labour leaders to reconsider their planned strike but they declined.
The strike, which comes as a direct response to unresolved issues surrounding wage increases, economic policies, and electricity tariff hike, was earlier unannounced on Friday, May 31.
The labour leaders stated that they took the decision after their ultimatum for the federal government to finalise all negotiations for a new minimum wage by the end of May expired.
Following the strike, airport, schools, banks and power stations have been shut down, as the workers threw the nation into darkness.
Usman Mustapha is a solution journalist with International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: umustapha@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M