ASUU strike: FG inaugurates committee to renegotiate 2009 agreement

The federal government has inaugurated a seven-member committee to renegotiate its 2009 agreement with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

According to NAN, Adamu Adamu, minister of education, who spoke at the inauguration ceremony in Abuja, said the committee has three months to conclude the task.

In 2009, the government had agreed to meet ASUU’s demands bordering on the improvement of welfare and infrastructure across varsities in the country.

But ASUU has consistently accused the government of breaching the agreement — which has remained a major issue in the lingering face-off between the union and government.

The union embarked on a one-month warning strike on February 14 to drive home its demands.

Commenting on the industrial action, Adamu said the committee is expected to review the draft — proposed federal government/ASUU agreement — and submit the report within three months from the date of inauguration.

He added that the committee would liaise and consult with relevant stakeholders to finalise the position of the federal government on the issues in the draft — proposed FGN/ASUU renegotiated agreement.

He said the committee would also renegotiate in realistic and workable terms, the 2009 agreements with other university-based unions.

The minister said the committee would negotiate and recommend any other issue it deemed relevant to reposition the Nigerian university system (NUS) for global competitiveness.

“You will recall that the re-negotiation of the 2009 agreements between the Federal Government and the University-Based Staff Unions (ASUU, SSANU, NAAT and NASU) commenced on Monday, Feb.13,  2017,” he said.

“However, due to a number of unforeseen circumstances, including but not limited to the COVID-19 pandemic, the exercise has, unfortunately, dragged on till now.

“There is no gainsaying that the earnest desire of every stakeholder in the Nigerian University System (NUS) and, indeed, the nation at large is to conclude this re-negotiation within the shortest possible period.

“Therefore, I wish to specially appeal to this committee to double its effort towards concluding the assignment and producing a realistic and workable draft agreements that would tackle the challenges confronting the NUS and reposition it.”

Adamu said Nimi Briggs, pro-chancellor of Alex Ekweme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, would serve as the committee’s chairman.

Other members are Lawrence Ngbale, pro-chancellor of Federal University, Wukari; Funmi Togunu-Bickersteth, pro-chancellor, Federal University, Birnin Kebbi; and Chris Adighije, pro-chancellor of Federal University, Lokoja.

Also included are Olu Obafemi, pro-chancellor of Federal University of Technology, Minna; Zubairu Iliyasu, pro-chancellor of Kano State University of Science and Technology; and Mathew Seiyefa, pro-chancellor of Niger Delta University (NDU) in Bayelsa.