Suspense of strike depends on FG — ASUU • Call off strike, cleave to MoU in interest of scholars, Reps prompt Labour Ministry, ASUU.
The Federal Government history assured that the ongoing strike by Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, would be called off soon, saying it was taken suddenly by the renewed action which the university preceptors embarked on February 14, 2022.
ASUU, still, claimed that the suspense of the strike would depend on government’s readiness to meet its demands, especially the relinquishment of the University Translucency and Responsibility Result, UTAS), as payment platform.
This is indeed as The House of Representatives history at grand, prompted stakeholders in the education sector to close species and call off the ongoing warning strike of university lectures in the interest of scholars.
Addressing the proceeded concession meeting with the union history, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, said government was surprised ASUU negated the understanding and assurances it gave through the NigerianInter-Religious Council, NIREC, led by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar and the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Rev. Supo Ayokunle.
Ngige, who was in Botswana for the meeting of the African Regional Labour Administrative Centre (ARLAC) when ASUU declared the warning strike, said he allowed the university preceptors and their employer, the Ministry of Education, would have resolved the areas of controversies within days.
“I unfeignedly allowed ASUU and the Ministry of Education would have resolved the issues, which hopefully aren't major areas of disagreement, warranting artificial action. To my surprise, I came back, and the strike is still on. Be that as it may, it's the accreditation of my Ministry to seize artificial controversies wherever they do and we've restrained this.
“From this concession, we're having moment ( history), ASUU will appreciate that government means no detriment. This is because indeed if there are still setbacks in perpetration of agreement, they aren't similar that will lead to artificial action. To that extent, we've to do everything possible to resolve this.
“But I must tell you that on the government side, they were taken by surprise because before also, NIREC met with you, ASUU, and reported to the President. Having met with you and having given the details of their meeting with you, we unfeignedly hoped we wo n’t again take this route of artificial action. So, the government side is taken by surprise-Ministry of Education, Ministry of Finance and all are taken suddenly.”
Ngige still assured that, the strike had been restrained by his Ministry and that the ongoing concession would prepare ground for an expanded meeting which will involve NIREC.
“It's my accreditation to seize artificial controversies and this has been restrained, so we can bandy, and latterly expand to what's called triplex plus meeting, involving members of NIREC who are top religious and traditional autocrats, we can not push away. And that's as soon as we're done and agree on issues then,” he said.
The Minister expressed sanguinity that the strike would be called off soon to enable scholars go back to academy.
ASUU President, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, in his speech, criticized the Federal Government for the ongoing strike, professing that piecemeal from not enforcing the 2020 MOA, government also failed to convene the regular perpetration monitoring meeting as agreed.
ASUU claimed that calling off the artificial action depended entirely on the Federal Government as members were determined not to shift ground until their demands were met.
Call off strike, cleave to your Scowl
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives history at grand, prompted stakeholders in the education sector to close species and call off the ongoing warning strike of university lectures in the interest of scholars.
Accordingly, the House called the Ministry of Labour and Employment and the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, to cleave to the clauses and vittles of the former-Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, and the Memorandum of Action, MoA, between both parties.
Considering a stir, named “ Urgent Need to Address the Frequent Strike Conduct by the Academic Staff Union of Universities,, ASUU”, presented by Dozie Ferdinand Nwankwo, the House recalled the several meetings by the applicable bodies which led to the call-off of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, strike action that lasted for nine months, March 2020 to December 2020.
Presenting the stir, Nwankwo said the strike foisted pains on Nigerian scholars, parents and the education sector, to the extent that it disintegrated the academic timetable and impacted negatively on the tutoring staff, their families and the depreciating norms of Nigeria’s public universities.
He said “ The benefits and advantages of the demands of ASUU on the overall interests of Nigeria’s public institutions and the well- being of the help which includes backing for the revivification of public universities and signing and perpetration of the reasoned 2009 FGN-ASUU Agreement, among others
“ Shortly after the last horrendous experience by Nigerians, a one-month warning strike by members of ASUU has commenced, with effect from February 14, 2022, despite all former sweats to resolve the contending issues. Similar sweats include that of the speaker, House of Representatives and other stakeholders, including members of the NigeriaInter-Religious Council, NIREC.
“The consequences of the strike are embarrassingly getting too frequent and with consequences too ruinous to the education sector as one-month strike is a too important dislocation to an academic timetable and too important time for an “ idle man” to beget annihilation, especially in the present university terrain which is overran with cult conditioning and other social vices.
“In the present circumstances, claims and causes by both ASUU members and government representatives aren't helping the situation because the picture created isn't clear.”
The legislator added that Nigerians and nonnatives were left to interpret it else, regrettably tipping towards perceived/ or deliberate intention to frustrate the genuine spirit of conciliation and tertiary education in Nigeria, extensively seen as education for the ordinary Nigerian.
“Major corridor of the grounds of disagreement border on issues like the injection of revivification finances, payment of earned academic allowance and the likes that are accessible in other African countries similar as Ghana and South Africa.
“ Nigeria is losing profit through Nigerian scholars who tutor abroad, whereas Nigerian universities can be raised to the norms of the stylish universities in Africa and other corridor of the world.
“All hands must be on sundeck to forestall the strike and to allow public universities to continue with their programmes undisrupted and to resolves similar issues dispassionately,” he said.
Espousing the stir, the House commanded its Panels on Labour, Employment and Productivity and, Tertiary Education and Services to affiliate with the Ministries of Labour and Employment and, Education, Civil Society Associations, CSOs, NigeriaInter-Religious Council, NIREC, and ASUU to address the outstanding issues pouring the current warning strike by members of ASUU.
The Committee on Legislative Compliance was commanded to insure compliance to the resolution.
