Hopes are high as the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) holds its National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting today (Thursday) concerning the the lingering strike, at the University of Abuja.
The Union may call off its ongoing eight months strike.
CEOAFRICA had reported that the Court of Appeal had last Friday, ordered the union to call off its strike and the House of Representatives also intervened in the matter, raising the hope that the Union may call off the strike soon.
It was reported that most of the over 123 branches of the union have completed their congresses on the lingering strike, while some Universities voted for the suspension of the strike, others voted for conditional suspension.
According to a source in Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, the branch did not reach a consensus.
The source said; “No agreement was reached. Members agreed to follow the decision of the union’s National Executive Committee. Remember, we were on strike before the national body declared a strike.”
The situation was different at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, as the branch voted in favour of “conditional suspension.”
The congress held at the Federal University of Technology, Akure, which also had ASUU members from the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, both in Ondo State in attendance, the members voted for suspension so as not to disobey court orders.
A union member said; “Members did not want to vote initially but you know ASUU is a union of intellectuals and we cannot be caught breaking the law. That was why we voted for suspension.”
It was also reported that Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria voted for a conditional suspension of the strike, while Usmanu DanFodiyo University, voted for suspension based on the Appeal Court order.
 Salaries increment
Meanwhile, CEOAFRICA had reported that ASUU is awaiting the decision of President Muhammadu Buhari, on the salary increase for university lecturers.
It was reported that no agreement has been made over the percentage increase.
A member of the ASUU/ NEC, who spoke with Newsmen said; “No agreement has been made yet on the issue of salary increment. During the meeting with the Speaker, the ASUU President was asked about the salary rate of professors, and he said it was N416,000. The Speaker expressed sadness over the matter; however, he was told that professors at Rivers State University were earning as much as N1m per month. The Speaker called someone to confirm, and it was found to be true.’’
“However, he couldn’t take any decision and he noted that he would transmit everything to Buhari and that the President would make the final decision.’’
“Also on the issue of earned allowances, N50bn has been budgeted to cater for outstanding earned allowances, while N170bn has been fixed for salary increases. However, from 2024, it is the various governing councils that will be paying earned allowances, while N300bn will go for revitalisation.”
Another member of ASUU/NEC and the University of Jos (UNIJOS) ASUU Chairman, Dr Lazarus Maigoro, noted that the decision to suspend the ongoing strike rests on NEC.
He said; “The decision is for the NEC.”
 NEC meeting
The National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting is expected to hold at the University of Abuja on Thursday (today).
There, the union is expected to make its stance known officially as regards the lingering strike.
Incorporate UTAS
To avoid another strike, the outgoing Vice-Chancellor of the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, Prof. Ganiu Olatunde, has advised the Federal Government to incorporate some of the features of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution into the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System to avoid another strike.
The VC said this on Tuesday, during an interview with Newsmen in his office, to mark the end of his five-year tenure in office.
Olatunde said the only way to peacefully resolve the lingering crisis between the ASUU and the FG over the preferable platform for payment of lecturers’ salaries is for the Government to merge the two payment platforms, the UTAS and the IPPIS.