STRIKE: Federal Government Gives Three Months To Renegotiate

The national struggle by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to ensure its demands are met has resorted to the setting up of a seven-man committee on Monday the 7th of March by the Federal Government to oversee and renegotiate the 2009 FGN-ASUU agreements.

During the inauguration exercise yesterday, Adamu Adamu, the Minister of Education of Nigeria urged the members of the committee to renegotiate, in realistic and workable terms, the 2009 agreements with university-based unions including the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Non-Academic Staff Union of Education and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT)

Mr Adamu recalled that the re-negotiation of the 2009 agreements between the Federal Government and university-based staff unions commenced on Monday, February 13, 2017.

“However, due to a number of unforeseen circumstances, including the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), the exercise has, unfortunately, dragged on till now.

“The earnest desire of every stakeholder in the Nigerian university system and, indeed, the nation at large is to conclude this re-negotiation exercise within the shortest possible period.

“Therefore, I wish to especially appeal to this re-constituted committee to double its effort towards concluding the assignment and producing realistic and workable draft agreements that would holistically tackle the challenges confronting the and reposition it to effectively play its very important role in national development,” he said.

According to the minister, the committee will liaise and consult with relevant stakeholders to finalise the position of the Federal Government on the issues in the draft FGN-ASUU agreement within three months from the date of inauguration.

Therefore, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) which has been on a one-month warning strike since February 14 will have to wait three months for the completion of the renegotiation exercise before taking decisions on whether schools will be open.

Going further, “Indeed, your nomination to serve the Federal Government in this capacity is not unconnected with your track records of invaluable impact on the development and progress of the university system. Therefore, I have no reservation that you would conduct this all-important assignment with the seriousness and the urgency it deserves. This is, more so, considering the ongoing industrial action by one of the unions,” he said.

The seven-man committee is chaired by an emeritus professor of obstetrics and gynaecology, pro-chancellor of Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike, Ebonyi State, Nimi Briggs.

Other members are the Pro-Chancellor, Federal University, Wukari, Lawrence Ngbale (North East); Pro-Chancellor, Federal University, Birnin Kebbi, Prof. Funmi Togunu-Bickersteth (South West) and Pro-Chancellor, Federal University, Lokoja, Sen, Chris Adighije (South East).

Also, the Pro-Chancellor, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Prof. Olu Obafemi (North Central); Pro-Chancellor, Kano State University of Science and Technology, Prof. Zubairu Iliyasu (North West); and Pro-Chancellor, Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island, Matthew Seiyefa (South South).