The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) yesterday game
the conditions for calling off its strike. It said only a speedy
and positive response from the Federal Government to its letter
would end the dispute.
ASUU’s National President, Biodun Ogunyemi, made this known in a
statement.
Labour and Employment Minister, Dr. Chris Ngige yesterday said
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo had not taken over the negotiations
with ASUU.
Ogunyemi said the letter dated August 28 bears the unions
position on what the government is offering in respect of the
issues at stake.
Ogunyemi said the letter followed earlier meetings with the
officials of the ministries of Education and Labour and Employment
where it was agreed that ASUU should consult with members and
“revert back to the federal government.”
The ASUU boss identified “registration of Nigerian Universities
Pension Management Company (NUPEMCO), fractionalisation of salaries
in federal universities and underfunding/non – funding of state
universities” as issues requiring resolution between the ASUU and
the federal government.
Others are arrears and implementation of Earned Academic
Allowances (EAA), release of fund for revitalisation of the
nation’s public universities as spelt out in the 2013 Memorandum of
Understanding, guidelines for retirement benefits of professors in
line with the 2009 FGN – ASUU agreement, Treasury Single
Account(TSA) and withdrawal of support for universities’ staff
primary schools.
The ASUU National President lauded Nigerians, particularly
students, parents and the media for their understanding “on the
need to speedily address the issues in the best interest of the
university system and overall development of the nation.”
The union has been on comprehensive and total strike action on
August 13 following what the lecturers alleged as FG non –
implementation of the agreement with the academic body.
Senator Ngige dismissed speculations of uncertainty over
government negotiation with the lecturers, saying they were working
round the clock to ensure the issues in dispute are resolved as
soon as possible.
The Minister had told newsmen after a scheduled meeting with the
leadership of ASUU last week Tuesday that some aspects of the
counter offer by the union required approval of the Federal
Executive Council (FEC) to continue with the talks.
However, after the FEC meeting last Wednesday he was quoted as
saying “Government is leaving no stone unturned to make sure that
we reach a conclusive agreement with ASUU so that they can go back
to the class room. This is the first national strike that this
government is facing and we want to discuss.
“At council today, the Vice President has taken over some of the
aspects of the negotiations and discussions. So, we are continuing
the meeting in his office and when we finish meeting, we will get
back to ASUU for another round of meeting and we are hopeful that
we will be able to go to an appreciable extent to solve some of the
outstanding issues that is preventing them from going back to
work.”
The Minister’s statement that the Vice President has taken over
some of the aspects of the negotiations and discussion and was
interpreted to mean Osinbajo has taken over the negotiation, a
position the office of the Vice President has since denied.
In a statement from the Ministry of Labour and Employment by the
Deputy Director, Samuel Olowookere, the Minister said reporters
misinterpreted his statement about the negotiation.
He emphasised his Ministry was working with the Ministry of
Education to resolve the matter.
According to him: “The Vice President has not taken over the
matter. The meeting in his office was in consolidation of
negotiations.
“Engagement of the striking ASUU members is still being handled
by Ministers of Labour and Employment and the Minister of
Education.
“Issues of strike by an employee is a labour matter. The
Minister of Labour and Employment is therefore synergising with his
Education counterpart where the strike occurred to resolve the
dispute.
“Just as the Minister of Labour and Employment led negotiation
with the National Association of Resident Doctors in conjunction
with the Minister of Health, the same applies in the case of
ASUU.
The statement added Ngige specifically told reporters that
government’s negotiating team on ASUU strike was to meet with the
Vice President, adding that “It was reporters that interpreted it
to mean the Vice President has taken over negotiation.”
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) yesterday game
the conditions for calling off its strike. It said only a speedy
and positive response from the Federal Government to its letter
would end the dispute.
ASUU’s National President, Biodun Ogunyemi, made this known in a
statement.
Labour and Employment Minister, Dr. Chris Ngige yesterday said
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo had not taken over the negotiations
with ASUU.
Ogunyemi said the letter dated August 28 bears the unions
position on what the government is offering in respect of the
issues at stake.
Ogunyemi said the letter followed earlier meetings with the
officials of the ministries of Education and Labour and Employment
where it was agreed that ASUU should consult with members and
“revert back to the federal government.”
The ASUU boss identified “registration of Nigerian Universities
Pension Management Company (NUPEMCO), fractionalisation of salaries
in federal universities and underfunding/non – funding of state
universities” as issues requiring resolution between the ASUU and
the federal government.
Others are arrears and implementation of Earned Academic
Allowances (EAA), release of fund for revitalisation of the
nation’s public universities as spelt out in the 2013 Memorandum of
Understanding, guidelines for retirement benefits of professors in
line with the 2009 FGN – ASUU agreement, Treasury Single
Account(TSA) and withdrawal of support for universities’ staff
primary schools.
The ASUU National President lauded Nigerians, particularly
students, parents and the media for their understanding “on the
need to speedily address the issues in the best interest of the
university system and overall development of the nation.”
The union has been on comprehensive and total strike action on
August 13 following what the lecturers alleged as FG non –
implementation of the agreement with the academic body.
Senator Ngige dismissed speculations of uncertainty over
government negotiation with the lecturers, saying they were working
round the clock to ensure the issues in dispute are resolved as
soon as possible.
The Minister had told newsmen after a scheduled meeting with the
leadership of ASUU last week Tuesday that some aspects of the
counter offer by the union required approval of the Federal
Executive Council (FEC) to continue with the talks.
However, after the FEC meeting last Wednesday he was quoted as
saying “Government is leaving no stone unturned to make sure that
we reach a conclusive agreement with ASUU so that they can go back
to the class room. This is the first national strike that this
government is facing and we want to discuss.
“At council today, the Vice President has taken over some of the
aspects of the negotiations and discussions. So, we are continuing
the meeting in his office and when we finish meeting, we will get
back to ASUU for another round of meeting and we are hopeful that
we will be able to go to an appreciable extent to solve some of the
outstanding issues that is preventing them from going back to
work.”
The Minister’s statement that the Vice President has taken over
some of the aspects of the negotiations and discussion and was
interpreted to mean Osinbajo has taken over the negotiation, a
position the office of the Vice President has since denied.
In a statement from the Ministry of Labour and Employment by the
Deputy Director, Samuel Olowookere, the Minister said reporters
misinterpreted his statement about the negotiation.
He emphasised his Ministry was working with the Ministry of
Education to resolve the matter.
According to him: “The Vice President has not taken over the
matter. The meeting in his office was in consolidation of
negotiations.
“Engagement of the striking ASUU members is still being handled
by Ministers of Labour and Employment and the Minister of
Education.
“Issues of strike by an employee is a labour matter. The
Minister of Labour and Employment is therefore synergising with his
Education counterpart where the strike occurred to resolve the
dispute.
“Just as the Minister of Labour and Employment led negotiation
with the National Association of Resident Doctors in conjunction
with the Minister of Health, the same applies in the case of
ASUU.
The statement added Ngige specifically told reporters that
government’s negotiating team on ASUU strike was to meet with the
Vice President, adding that “It was reporters that interpreted it
to mean the Vice President has taken over negotiation.”
Read more https://www.nairalaw.com/why-we-wont-shelve-strike-now-by-asuu/