Strike: ASUU is lying, says FG - The Federal Government has accused theAcademic Staff Union of NigerianUniversities (ASUU) of being economicalwith the truth on lecturers prolongedindustrial action in the universities.The Senior Special Assistant to the Presidenton Youth and Students Matters, Com. JudeImagwe, stated that the claim by the unionthat its action was to restore infrastructuraldecay in universities was nothing but a lie,noting that ASUU was fighting forallowances.Imagwe was speaking in Abuja when hereceived some youth groups, who were ona visit to his office.His words: “They initially told us that it wasabout infrastructure, but it is aboutallowances. N30b has been released for thepayment of their accumulated allowances,and N100b earmarked for infrastructuraldevelopment. It is important for the publicto know that government did not say this isall that it will give, but government says goand start the payment with this amount andlet us know the amount it will add”.Meanwhile, Senior Staff Association ofNigerian Universities, SSANU, will tomorrowjoin ASUU on strike as the union said it hasmobilized its members across the country toembark on industrial action over allegedstoppage of their salaries for two months.SSANU, in a letter, dated 27 September,2013, and addressed to its branch chairmenin all the universities in the country,directed its members to stay away fromwork from tomorrow until the salaries arefully paid.The President of SSANU, Comrade SamsonUgwoke, said the strike will be total, whilethe General Secretary, who signed the letterdirecting members to stay at home fromtomorrow, Comrade Promise Adewusi, saidno member should go back to work until acounter directive was given.Adewusi stated that the union took thedecision following its letters to the vice-chancellors in universities, the Secretary tothe Government of the Federation, SenatorAnyim Pius Anyim, Ministers of Labour andProductivity, Chief Emeka Wogu andEducation, Nyesom Wike, as well as theExecutive Secretary, National UniversitiesCommission, Prof. Julius Okojie.In the meantime, the suspended strike bythe Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics(ASUP) is to resume on Friday.The union alleged insincerity and failure ofthe Federal Government to honouragreement entered with the union.The union also passed a vote of noconfidence on the National Board forTechnical Education (NBTE), alleging that theboard has failed to meet the needs anddemands of polytechnic education in thecountry.