The Federal Ministry of Education has constituted a 31-member committee to renegotiate the agreement between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), in a bid to prevent a potential disruption to the academic calendar. This comes after ASUU issued a fresh 14-day ultimatum, threatening industrial action if unresolved issues persist.
The committee will be officially inaugurated next Wednesday, according to sources within the ministry. The formation of the panel is part of the government’s efforts to address ASUU’s longstanding grievances, which include the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU Agreement based on the Nimi Briggs Committee’s 2021 Draft Agreement.
Folasade Boriowo, Director of Press for the Federal Ministry of Education, expressed confidence that the union would not proceed with the strike, citing ongoing developments. “The government has started working, and I am sure ASUU won’t be embarking on a strike because a 31-man renegotiation committee has been formed and will be inaugurated next Wednesday,” she said.
ASUU’s demands remain focused on key issues such as withheld salaries following the union’s 2022 strike, unpaid wages for staff on sabbatical and part-time appointments, and the release of funds earmarked for university revitalisation in the 2023 budget. Additionally, the union seeks payment of Earned Academic Allowances and third-party deductions, including cooperative contributions and check-off dues.
ASUU President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, in a statement last Wednesday, voiced the union’s frustration with the government’s perceived delay tactics. He warned that the public university system was once again at risk of falling into crisis.
“ASUU has resolved to give the Nigerian Government another 14 days, beginning from Monday, September 23, 2024, during which all lingering issues must be addressed to the satisfaction of the union’s membership. The union should not be held responsible for any industrial disharmony arising from the government’s failure to seize this opportunity to resolve the crisis,” Osodeke stated.
As the clock ticks, the government’s response to these demands will be critical in determining whether Nigeria’s universities face yet another round of debilitating strikes.
