Details have emerged of the proposal made by the Nigerian
Government to university teachers towards ending the indefinite
strike by the teachers.
The negotiating team of the Academic Staff Union of
Universities, ASUU, had Friday morning risen from a 12 hours, 30
minutes meeting with a delegation of government in Abuja and
announced it had agreed to consider the proposal by government.
The National President of ASUU, Biodun Ogunyemi, who led the
negotiating team of the union to the meeting, said the team would
present the proposal to the leadership of ASUU for its decision and
get back to the government in a week.
“Now we have some concrete proposal that we will take back to
our members for consideration,” he said.
According to the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige,
the meeting discussed seven issues which constituted the demands of
ASUU.
“We inherited these issues from past government but government
is a continuous process, we have to address them,” he said.
Mr. Ngige then listed some of the demands and what government
proposed to do on each.
On the provision of fund for the revitalisation of public
universities, the minister said government has accepted to start
quarterly payment into the fund.
“The government has decided to make some funds available for
September and October to show they are not liquidating the
agreement and to show a sign of good faith,” the minister said.
In respect of the 2009 MoU which non-implementation was the core
of the grievances of ASUU, Mr. Ngige said government proposed to
set up a seven-man committee with the union to work out the ways
and means for implementing the agreement.
However, he Said: “This is without prejudice to the Babalakin
Committee on re-negotiation of the agreement”.
On earned allowances of the teachers, which financial
implication had risen to “about N220 billion as at 2:20 p.m. on
Thursday,” Mr. Ngige said: “Payment has started in that
direction.”
Regarding registration of universities’ pension management
company and pension matters, the minister said a pathway was
proposed for registration of the company.
On university staff schools, which the teachers are demanding to
be reopened and funded by the Federal Government as part of
universities, the minister said: “Though not appealing, we have
agreed that the decision should be communicated to various
universities.”
On non-payment of salaries, he said government has shown
commitment and evidence that payment had started in order to
liquidate outstanding sums and allowances.
On the issue of Treasury Single Account, he said government made
a proposal for the Central Bank of Nigeria to create a separate
account for universities, while research grants will be exempted
from compulsory remittance into the account.
“For issues on state universities and quality of education which
concerns everybody, the Minister of Education was mandated to take
a memo to the Council of State and the Federal Executive Council,
“he said.
ASUU began a nationwide on August 13 to press its demands that
broadly centre on improved funding of universities and welfare of
lecturers.
The meeting between government and ASUU’s negotiating team where
an headway was made on the strike had started at 1:38 p.m. on
Thursday and ended 2:15 a.m. on Friday.
“Now we have some concrete proposal that we will take back to
our members for consideration,” ASUU President, Mr. Ogunyemi,
said.
On his part, the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, said ASUU’s
demands had been addressed and the government would wait for a week
for the union’s response so that the strike could be called
off.
Details have emerged of the proposal made by the Nigerian
Government to university teachers towards ending the indefinite
strike by the teachers.
The negotiating team of the Academic Staff Union of
Universities, ASUU, had Friday morning risen from a 12 hours, 30
minutes meeting with a delegation of government in Abuja and
announced it had agreed to consider the proposal by government.
The National President of ASUU, Biodun Ogunyemi, who led the
negotiating team of the union to the meeting, said the team would
present the proposal to the leadership of ASUU for its decision and
get back to the government in a week.
“Now we have some concrete proposal that we will take back to
our members for consideration,” he said.
According to the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige,
the meeting discussed seven issues which constituted the demands of
ASUU.
“We inherited these issues from past government but government
is a continuous process, we have to address them,” he said.
Mr. Ngige then listed some of the demands and what government
proposed to do on each.
On the provision of fund for the revitalisation of public
universities, the minister said government has accepted to start
quarterly payment into the fund.
“The government has decided to make some funds available for
September and October to show they are not liquidating the
agreement and to show a sign of good faith,” the minister said.
In respect of the 2009 MoU which non-implementation was the core
of the grievances of ASUU, Mr. Ngige said government proposed to
set up a seven-man committee with the union to work out the ways
and means for implementing the agreement.
However, he Said: “This is without prejudice to the Babalakin
Committee on re-negotiation of the agreement”.
On earned allowances of the teachers, which financial
implication had risen to “about N220 billion as at 2:20 p.m. on
Thursday,” Mr. Ngige said: “Payment has started in that
direction.”
Regarding registration of universities’ pension management
company and pension matters, the minister said a pathway was
proposed for registration of the company.
On university staff schools, which the teachers are demanding to
be reopened and funded by the Federal Government as part of
universities, the minister said: “Though not appealing, we have
agreed that the decision should be communicated to various
universities.”
On non-payment of salaries, he said government has shown
commitment and evidence that payment had started in order to
liquidate outstanding sums and allowances.
On the issue of Treasury Single Account, he said government made
a proposal for the Central Bank of Nigeria to create a separate
account for universities, while research grants will be exempted
from compulsory remittance into the account.
“For issues on state universities and quality of education which
concerns everybody, the Minister of Education was mandated to take
a memo to the Council of State and the Federal Executive Council,
“he said.
ASUU began a nationwide on August 13 to press its demands that
broadly centre on improved funding of universities and welfare of
lecturers.
The meeting between government and ASUU’s negotiating team where
an headway was made on the strike had started at 1:38 p.m. on
Thursday and ended 2:15 a.m. on Friday.
“Now we have some concrete proposal that we will take back to
our members for consideration,” ASUU President, Mr. Ogunyemi,
said.
On his part, the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, said ASUU’s
demands had been addressed and the government would wait for a week
for the union’s response so that the strike could be called
off.
Read more https://nairalaw.com/asuu-strike-what-we-proposed-to-university-teachers-ngige/