The Federal Government and Academic Staff Union of
Universities (ASUU) have resolved to set up seven-man committee to work out
modalities for the actualization of its 2009 agreement.
Sen. Chris Ngige, Minister of Labour and Employment said
this at an intensive Conciliatory meeting with the leadership of ASUU, Minister
of Education, among others on Friday in Abuja.
The meeting was an effort at revolving the lingering strike
embarked by the union.
It will be recalled that members of ASUU had embarked on
indefinite strike on Aug. 13, following government’s failure to implement the
agreement reached with the union in Nov. 2016.
ASUU, on Aug. 17, had met with the officials of the Ministry
of Education and Labour and Employment where it was agreed that the union
should consult and report back to the government within a week.
ASUU’s demands include the disputed registration of the
Nigerian Universities Pension Management Company, fractionalisation of salaries
in Federal Universities, gross under-funding and non-funding of State
Universities.
Others are arrears and implementation of Earned Academic
Allowances, release of fund for revitalisation of public universities as spelt
out in the 2013 Memorandum of Understanding, among others.
Ngige said that the Ministry of Education would be
represented by three people, ASUU by three members, while government would be
represented by one person who would serve as the Chairman of the Committee.
The minister, however, stressed the important of education
to the development of every nation in the world.
He assured ASUU that government would implement all the
seven demands of the union as contained in the 2009 agreement.
Ngige added that government had already shown commitment
towards addressing the plight of the union by paying some of their shortfall
salary arrears.
He also noted that the issue in contention was inherited
from the past administration, adding that the present administration will do
all within its power to address those challenges.
According to him, government is a continue process.
Also, speaking, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, ASUU President, said
that government and ASUU had reached an agreement on their demands with the
Federal Government.
He said that ASUU would accept the proposal presented by the
Federal Government on its demands.
“The concrete proposal reached during the conciliatory
meeting will be taken back to our members at the National Executive Council,
(NEC) for further deliberation.
“We will report back our position to the Federal Government
in the next one week on whether to call off the strike or not,” he said.
He, however, called on the Federal Government to fast track
the process of implementing the 2009 agreement with the union.
Ogunyemi stressed the need to finding a lasting solution to
the challenges facing the country’s education sector, especially at the
University level.
Daily Trust
