ASUU advises FG over fuel pump price increase

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has advised the Federal Government to review the recent increase in fuel pump price.

Mr Augustine Ndaghu, Yola Zonal Coordinator of the Union, gave the advice during a press conference in Yola on Monday.

Ndaghu observed that the price increase was announced by the Federal Government at a wrong time when people were struggling to survive following the outbreak of Coronavirus.

“This is not the right time for government to declare the fuel pump price increase because people are currently struggling to survive the COVID-19 economic meltdown,” Ndaghu said.

On the lingering negotiations between the union and the government that led to the ongoing industrial dispute, the coordinator accused government of insincerity.

He said that it was government’s inaction to recognise and implement various agreements signed between the two that led to the shutdown of the public universities in the country.

“Federal Government continue to ignore the outstanding issues in the FG/ASUU Memorandum of Action of Feb. 7, 2019.

“Government refused to take action on several letters written by the union, again government abandoned the path of dialogue on IPPIS since 2013,” he said.

He lamented the coercion of their members into IPPIS with no recourse to the peculiarities of the Nigerian university system.

Ndaghu called on parents and students to understand the current position and action which was meant to salvage the Nigerian university system.

“Our stand is to salvage our universities from the current fate of the Nigerian public primary and secondary schools,” he added.