•No signed agreement with union, government insists
•Constitutes committee to review union’s demands
By Gabriel Dike and Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Hope of a speedy resolution of the prolonged disagreement between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) was dashed yesterday, as both parties, rather than engaging in meaningful discussions, traded harsh words.
Shockingly, the government stated that it had no signed agreement with ASUU. This was in response to the union’s claims that the Federal Government had failed to implement the content of the agreement which mostly bordered on re-negotiation of the 2009 agreement, sustainable funding of universities, revitalisation of universities, victimisation of their colleagues in Lagos State University (LASU), Kogi State University (KSU, now Prince Abubakar Audu University), and the Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO).
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Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, told journalists in Abuja, yesterday, that contrary to the impression by some Nigerians, the government never signed any binding agreement with ASUU, describing the document as a draft.
In turn, the lecturers’ union denied the claim by the Minister of Education, Alausa, that ASUU submitted a position proposal, which the Federal Government is working on to address their numerous demands. It also accused the government of subjecting its members to untold hardship and poverty, resulting in members lecturing students on empty stomach.
However, Dr. Alausa reiterated the government’s commitment to resolve the issues raised by the union, saying that President Bola Tinubu has mandated the ministry to find a lasting solution that would keep Nigerian children in school.
He emphasised that the administration was not interested in “bogus or unsustainable agreements” but in reaching an accord that would be implementable and constitutionally backed.
He assured that ASUU’s recent protests would not degenerate into a strike as the government has engaged the union continuously and meticulously.
“We are committed to solving this problem once and for all. What has lingered since the 2009 and 2021 agreements will now be addressed in a sustainable way. The President has made it clear that every promise made to ASUU and Nigerians will be fulfilled truthfully and honestly.”
Alausa also said the ministry held a high level meeting with stakeholders (yesterday) to find a lasting solution to the lingering problems. He said the meeting was attended by the Minister of State for Education, Minister of Labour and Productivity, and Solicitor-General of the Federation.
Others in attendance are Permanent Secretaries in the ministries of Education, Labour and Justice; as well as heads of key agencies, including the National Universities Commission (NUC), Salaries and Wages Commission, and the Budget Office.
He added that the meeting reviewed ASUU proposals line by line, which would be fine-tuned by the committee’s technical team. He said the team will submit a “clean report” that would be forwarded to the Yayale Ahmed-led Committee, to renegotiate the 2009 ASUU/FG Agreement.
“We want an agreement where every component is actionable and feasible. Nigerians can be assured that this government will keep our schools open and ensure our children remain in the classrooms.”
He added that unlike in the past, the Ministry of Justice would be fully involved in the process, to ensure agreements comply with constitutional provisions.
ASUU Coordinator, Lagos Zone, Prof. Adesola Nassir, who spoke to newsmen in Lagos during the ongoing mobilisation of members and Nigerians, over the government’s attitude towards the union’s outstanding demands, denied Alausa’s position that the union submitted a proposal for government’s attention.
“Let me say categorically that ASUU has no position proposal with the Federal Government. For the minister to describe the government’s position paper as ASUU’s own is mischievous.
“We are also perturbed by the minister’s statement on the government’s plan to present a counter position to Yayale Ahmed’s renegotiated document, erroneously referred to as ASUU’s proposal. This position not only rubbishes the integrity of the representative of government on the renegotiation team but, also, affirms that they do not have the mandate of government to renegotiate with ASUU.
“The Yayale Ahmed submitted document is a product of eight years of painstaking negotiation that span four chairpersons. Our members are tired of this rhetoric from the minister. Any attempt to rubbish years of perseverance and further entrench poverty within our fold would be met with stiff resistance. We urge the intergovernmental committee to be mindful of what they will come up with, as our union has reached the limit of oppression.’’
He said the demands of the union have been placed before the government for resolution, insisting that members have displayed rare patience and perseverance, which the government took as complacency, and vowed that they will take their destiny in their hands.
Nassir said the government has failed to implement the 2009 renegotiated agreement, which has subjected students and staff to untold hardship and excoriating poverty.
“The right of ASUU to embark on strike when all efforts yield no meaningful results is recognised by the labour laws. Our members are being owed various entitlements, including third-party deductions made by the corrupt and discredited IPPIS, promotion arrears of up to four years, arrears of wage award, and palliatives.’’
The ASUU coordinator stressed that when the education minister expressed the wish of the government that there would be no strike by unions in the tertiary institutions, one would expect the government to match their words with action.
On the Tertiary Institutions Staff Support Fund (TISSF), Nassir described the programme as wrapped in mediocrity, entrenched in tokenism and incongruous, warning, “our union will not be part of such. Government has the responsibility to assist its employees, but loans cannot be substituted for a living wage.”
Nassir implored Nigerians to prevail on the government to call all its agencies involved in resolving this impasse in order, to avert industrial action and allow peace to return to the university system.
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