The Federal Ministry of Labour has reacted to allegations that it rejected the four-year audit report of the Academic Staff Union of Universities.

The spokesperson for the labour ministry, Olajide Oshundun,told our correspondent in an exclusive chat on Friday, that the the audit report was not received because ASUU shunned a letter by the ministry demanding explanations on why the report was not submitted at the appropriate time.

Punch had exclusively reported that the Federal Government had withheld the November 2022 check-off dues of ASUU members, despite the payment of pro-rata salaries for the month of November 2022.

The labour ministry’s spokesperson, who confirmed the development, noted that the decision to withhold the check-off dues was as a result of the failure of ASUU to make available to the ministry its audit report.

But while intervening in the matter, the Nigeria Labour Congress, in a letter to the Minister of Labour, Chris Ngige, insisted that ASUU made plans to submit the audit report but it was not received by the labour ministry.

Speaking with our correspondent as regards the allegations of the NLC, Oshundun said, “ Yes, it is true the audited report was not received from them and that was because they didn’t respond to the ministry’s initial letter, asking them to state the reason  they refused to submit the audited report for four years.

“The ministry’s letter is explicit on this; they refused to submit their report as and when due and we asked for explanations. The next thing they did was to quickly submit the report instead of replying us in written form.

And let it be clear that it was when the ministry wrote and threatened that their certificate of registration might be withdrawn that they rushed to submit it.

“What they were expected to have done was to respond to the letter first and plead with the ministry for late submission of the documents. Because if the ministry should take it from them just like that, other trade unions may follow suit and just do things at their own will. Meanwhile there is a law guiding all of these processes.

“The ministry didn’t request again the documents but only wrote to get explanations for their failure to do the needful. I can also tell you the matter is already in court, so any further enquiry is sub judice.” Punchng 

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has declared an indefinite strike.

This was confirmed in a statement signed by ASUU President, Prof Emmanuel Osodeke.

He said NEC observed with regret that the union had experienced a lot of deceit at the highest level in the last five and half years, saying the federal government engaged ASUU in fruitless and unending negotiation without a display of utmost fidelity.

“In view of the foregoing, and following extensive deliberations on government’s response to the resolution of 14th February 2022, so far, NEC concluded that the demands of the union had not been satisfactorily addressed.

“Consequently, NEC resolved to transmute the roll-over strike to a comprehensive, total, and indefinite strike action beginning from 12.01am Monday 29th August 2022,” the statement read in part.

It added that: “NEC acknowledges with appreciation past and current efforts by eminent Nigerians and groups to mediate in the lingering crisis. Our union remains open to reasonable engagements as we have always done.”

ASUU began its ongoing strike on February 14, 2022, after the Federal Government refused to meet some of its demands.

Dailypost 

An Abuja-based lawyer, Pelumi Olajengbesi, has appealed to chief executive officers of banks and billionaire businessmen including Aliko Dangote, Femi Otedola, Abdul Samad Rabiu, and Mike Adenuga to pay off the N1.1 trillion demands by the Academic Staff Union of Universities.

The lawyer said the Federal Government has displayed irresponsibility and nonchalance to resolve the lingering strike by ASUU since February 14, 2022.

Olajengbesi, therefore, urged the captains of industry to rise to the occasion just as they did during the COVID-19 pandemic when their financial intervention contributed immensely to Nigeria’s fight against the dreaded disease and its economic implications.

The lawyer’s appeal to the high net worth philanthropists followed the remarks of Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State who said the Federal Government cannot borrow N1.1 trillion to meet ASUU’s demands.

Commenting, Olajengbesi said, “The comment by Governor Dave Umahi of the All Progressives Congress is uncharitable and insensitive to millions of students of public universities who have been at home for seven months now since February 14, 2022 when ASUU embarked on an industrial action this year.

“It is reckless for the governor to say that the present administration cannot borrow N1.1 trillion to defray the Revitalization Fund and the Earned Academic Allowance owed ASUU. Whereas, the APC government has embarked on a borrowing spree since 2015 with Nigeria’s debt to China increasing from $3.26bn as of September 30, 2020, to $3.59bn as of September 30, 2021, showing an increase of $330m in one year. The figure has definitely risen in the last one year.

“The APC government must know that education is at the core of any development. Spending loans on phantom White Elephant projects and train is counterproductive without building the mind. Any infrastructural development without human capital development is nonsense.

“Having demonstrated its unwillingness to end ASUU strike despite the billions that Umahi’s APC received in the recent primary elections, good-spirited Nigerians can only appeal to business magnates like Aliko Dangote, Femi Otedola, Abdul Samad Rabiu, Mike Adenuga, as well as bank chiefs to come to the rescue of the common Nigerians whose children have been out of school for seven months this year and nine months in 2020 whilst politicians send their children to schools abroad.

“The philanthropists should please answer the call of the nation for youths to return to classrooms as some of them may be lured into crimes as a result of idleness. One of Nigeria’s greatest resources is its vibrant youth bulge and this population should be harnessed for productivity and not left to rot away.” Punchng