ASUU Strike: FG Summons Vice Chancellors, Pro-Chancellors
•Lecturers give condition for truce
•KACRAN calls on parties to sheathe sword, end strike
Onyebuchi Ezigbo, Michael Olugbode and Kuni Tyessi in Abuja
Amidst concerns over the indefinite strike declared by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the federal government has fixed a meeting with Pro-Chancellors, Vice Chancellors and Chairman of Councils of the federal universities in the country.
The meeting scheduled to take place next Tuesday at the National Universities Commission (NUC), Abuja, would be chaired by the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu.
But the ASUU leadership has listed some of the conditions under which they would accept to end their over six months industrial action, saying the federal government has refused to engage the union in a sincere and serious dialogue that would bring an end to the crisis.
At the same time, the Kulen Allah Cattle Rearers Association of Nigeria (KACRAN), has called on the federal government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to sheathe their swords and find immediate solution to the prolonged strike by the lecturers in the interest of Nigeria’s development.
A letter dated August 26, 2022 and addressed to the Pro Chancellors, Vice Chancellors and Chairman of the Governing Councils of the universities, stated that the meeting was to consider issues relating to the long closure of the federal universities, the recent decision of some university based unions to suspend their strike with effect from August 24 and the continued strike by ASUU.
The letter signed by the Deputy Executive Secretary of the NUC, Mr. Chris Maiyaki said, “It has become necessary for the Governing Councils and management of the universities to be briefed on the decisions and actions taken by the federal government so far, to allow for a well-coordinated review of the situation, including building consensus around succeeding actions.”
But the ASUU leadership, led by its president, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke while featuring on the Channels Television yesterday said, unlike the administration headed by former President Goodluck Jonathan, which took up the issues and negotiated an end to the strike within 24 hours, the current has not deemed it important to tackle ASUU’s demand decisively.
Asked to state what government has not done that necessitated their continued declaration of indefinite strike, Osodeke said, “Where is the money that you were alleged to have approved for revitalisation? How much and where is it lodged? Have you accepted that UTAS that was scored high by the integrity test conducted by the federal government and has it been approved?
“Thirdly, has government accepted the proposal made by its panel led by Prof. Nimi Briggs?If so it is we that they should be talking to not to go the media. It is we that the government should be talking to and not to go and be talking to the Press. That is collective bargaining.”
Meanwhile, KACRAN, in a statement by its National President, Khalil Bello, said the industrial action, which began February, this year was no longer healthy and was doing no one any good.
“We members of KACRAN wish to join many well-meaning Nigerians who are persistently calling on federal government and ASUU to settle their differences and end the ongoing strike.
“Our clarion call/passionate appeal is based on the following points: We strongly believe that, education is the bedrock for nation building and our universities are the pinnacle of learning where people will advance their studies for country’s economic development.
“The major concern is that, if the strike is allowed to continue unchecked, the nation’s educational system will be seriously affected negatively or shall collapsed in totality, because according to many indicators, many lecturers, who government had spent so much money on their training will annoyingly relinquish their active services and move to Europe or other developed countries, where they hope to get higher remuneration,” Mohammed said.
