ASUU Strike To Be Called Off Soon? Buhari Takes Fresh Action
- In a bid to put a final end to the lingering ASUU strike, the Buhari-led government has set up a new team to look into the union's demands
- This was made known by the education minister, Adamu Adamu, during his meeting with pro-chancellors and vice-chancellors on Tuesday
- The newly set up committee will consider two major areas of contention: the ‘No Work No Pay’ and remuneration of university lecturers
FCT, Abuja - President Muhammadu Buhari has reportedly set up a new committee to look into the demands of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
The lecturers' union has been on strike since February over the revitalisation of public universities, payment of earned academic allowances, and the deployment of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) for payment of university lecturers’ salaries, among others.
Source: Facebook
Amid the strike, the government had invoked the ‘No work, no pay’ policy, insisting that the lecturers would not be paid for the period they stayed away from work.
The lecturers had kicked against this as the strike lingered.
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ASUU strike: New committee to look into the issue - education minister
Speaking at the meeting with pro-chancellors and vice-chancellors in Abuja on Tuesday, September 6, Malam Adamu Adamu, the minister of education, announced that the federal government had set up a committee to revisit the issue.
According to Daily Trust, Adamu said the committee is made up of four pro-chancellors and four vice chancellors, while he is the chairman.
He said the committee is to look into the additional demands ASUU is making particularly the areas where there has not been consensus.
The minister said the committee will be looking at two major areas of contention, the ‘No Work No Pay’ and remuneration of university lecturers.
He added that he would brief President Buhari on the outcome of the meeting.
While he could not give the time frame for the committee to work, he said giving the atmosphere in the meeting, they are looking at days.
He however said they are not jettisoning the Briggs committee but that it is in continuation of what the committee did.
Asked if there will be a review on the government side on ‘NO work No Pay,’ the minister said:
“There has been an appeal generally for the system to take a second look at that and that is what the committee will look into.”
ASUU's stance of negotiation must be resisted - Adamu
The education minister also noted that the statement by ASUU President that the Union would no longer negotiate with the current Federal Government must be resisted.
“Government and ASUU have no option than to continue talking, until our Universities have reopened their doors to students who, clearly, are the principal victims of the seemingly unending strikes. In the circumstances, therefore, all Councils and Senates of our Universities are enjoined to rise up to their responsibilities.”
“We must, together, continue to work to restore our public universities to where they were in the 60s and 70s. As the most important officers in our university system, Pro Chancellors and Vice-Chancellors, must demonstrate more commitment to ending the ongoing strike,” he added.
Osinbajo speaks on ASUU strike
Meanwhile, Legit.ng earlier reported that Yemi Osinbajo, the vice president of Nigeria, said authorities at all levels should act fast on the country's problems.
The vice president was reported to have said this on Tuesday, August 30, when the progressives governors paid him a visit over his recent surgery.
During the visit, issues of the ongoing strike by the academic staff union of universities (ASUU) and the country’s economy topped their discussion, a statement from the state house revealed.
Source: Legit.ng
