The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) branch, says members are ready to join the impending nationwide indefinite strike if the federal government fails to meet their demands.

Oyibo Eze, the chairman of ASUU-UNN, stated this while briefing journalists in Nsukka on Tuesday, shortly after the union’s congress, which was followed by a protest rally by its members.

Mr Eze said Nigerians should hold the government responsible in case of any nationwide indefinite strike by ASUU, as the government had failed to do the needful.

“Government’s inability to implement the agreement reached with the union since 2009 is very unfortunate and an indication that education is not the priority of the government,” he said.

The chairman said the rally/protest was in compliance with the directive of the national leadership of the union to hold a protest rally to appeal to the government to do the needful.

”Our members expressed their readiness to join any nationwide indefinite strike that may be directed by ASUU national leadership, if the government fails to meet their demands.

“The congress urged the government to implement all agreements reached with the union as well as pay members three and a half months’ salary owed to them by the government,” Mr Eze said.

He stated that the ASUU National Executive Council (NEC) would meet on September 2, after a meeting with the federal government on August 28 to determine the next line of action.

The protesters marched through major roads in UNN and ended at the university’s administrative building.

Addressing the ASUU protesting members, the vice-chancellor of UNN, Simon Ortuanya, represented by Romanus Ezeokonkwo, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Administration, commended ASUU for the peaceful protest in seeking their demands.

The VC promised to forward the union’s demands to the Federal Ministry of Education.

Meanwhile, the University of Abuja chapter joined its counterparts nationwide in a peaceful protest on Tuesday.

The union also called for the full implementation of previous agreements reached with the federal government, which it said had been neglected for years.

The protest, held within the university campus, saw members carrying placards with various inscriptions, expressing their dissatisfaction with the government’s handling of academic staff welfare.

ASUU chairman, University of Abuja chapter, Sylvanus Ugoh, stated that staff had remained on the same salary structure since 2009, despite repeated promises.

He explained that the 2009 agreement mandated a salary review every three years, which should have started in 2012.

“We want the government and the public to understand the hardship we’re facing,” he told journalists during the protest on campus.

(NAN)