The University of Abuja chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has announced the immediate suspension of its 82-day strike.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, Dr. Sylvanus Ugoh, the Chairperson of ASUU, made this announcement during a news briefing in Abuja on Monday, following a union congress meeting.
Ugoh stated that the decision to suspend the strike came after productive discussions with the university’s new governing council, which has promised to address the union’s demands.
ASUU began the indefinite strike on May 2 in protest of alleged violations of its regulations, including issues related to staff appointments and promotions conducted without a governing council. Other grievances included an allegedly illegal advertisement for the vice-chancellor position under the former administration led by Prof. Abdulrasheed Na’Alla, and recruitment processes that lacked due diligence.
Ugoh explained that the new council has agreed to cancel the controversial advertisement and issue a new one following proper procedures. The council also committed to reviewing employment processes and addressing concerns regarding promotions, particularly those from the 2022/2023 exercise.
“Within these 82 days, we have been engaging with the former vice-chancellor, but he did not shift ground. He refused to comply with the rules; he refused to comply with the act establishing the university and follow due process. After all the procedures failed, the union embarked on a comprehensive and indefinite strike,” Ugoh said.
He added that since the inauguration of the new council, the union has been actively engaging with both the council and the university management. The council met with ASUU on July 18 and communicated its position on the issues related to the strike in writing.
“The council wrote the union and agreed to cancel the previous advert and re-advertise for the position of the vice-chancellor, which was one of our primary demands. The council also agreed to review the recruitment processes that were conducted without due process. According to the act, the employment process in the university requires an advert in a national daily, which was not followed. The council has agreed to review this process and report back to the union,” Ugoh stated.
Furthermore, the council has agreed to review the promotion exercise, especially the 2022/2023 exercise. They have also directed that elections for the positions of deans of faculties and the provost of the College of Health Sciences be conducted.
Regarding the position of director of the micro-finance bank, the acting vice-chancellor, through the bank’s secretary, has communicated that the union should take its position on the board of directors.
“In light of these developments and in honor of the new council and the acting vice-chancellor, the union has reviewed the submissions of the council. Following our congress meeting, we unanimously resolved to suspend the strike to allow the university administration to address the issues,” Ugoh concluded.
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