Strike Update: FG Set to inaugurate 2009 FG-ASUU agreement renegotiation panel tomorrow
The Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu is set to inaugurate a committee to renegotiate the 2009 agreement between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities tomorrow (Monday, March 7, 2022.).
The newly constituted seven-man team to be chaired by an emeritus professor of obstetrics and gynecology, and pro-chancellor of Alex Ekueme Federal University, Ndufu Alike Ikwo, Ebonyi State, Nimi Briggs, is expected to turn in its report in six weeks from the time of inauguration.
The Abusites reports that the 2009 FG-ASUU agreement has been a source of the protracted industrial dispute between the government and the lecturers’ union.
READ ALSO: 2009 Agreement – ASUU kicks as FG reconstitutes team for fresh negotiations
ASUU had on several occasions accused the Federal Government of failing to implement some of the agreements reached.
In 2009, the government agreed with ASUU that the condition of service of university lecturers would be reviewed every five years. The condition of service includes the issue of salaries and allowances of the lecturers.
But the education minister has constituted a seven-man committee to look into the agreement.
Mr. Adamu said; “There is need to speedily bring to a conclusion, all outstanding issues in the 2009 agreement in order to achieve the desired industrial peace on our campuses.”
The spokesman for the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Charles Akpan, explained that the committee would be expected to turn in its report in six weeks.
“The committee on renegotiation set up by the Ministry of Education is expected to round off everything on the condition of service and turn in its report in six weeks,” Akpan said.
The leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has described the new development as a confirmation of the “unseriousness of the Nigerian government and poor commitment to resolving the lingering crisis in the university system.”
ASUU accused the government of waiting for the renegotiation of the agreement to have been concluded by one team before appointing another one to lead another fresh negotiation.
The union insists that the implementation of the renegotiated 2009 agreement and the deployment of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) for the payment of its members’ salaries are key conditions to be met before the ongoing three-week-old strike by the union could be suspended.
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