To avoid another nationwide strike in the country’s public universities, the Federal Government of Nigeria has scheduled a meeting with the national executive members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Monday.
The expected meeting, which will also have other relevant stakeholders in the nation’s education sector in attendance, according to the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, who disclosed this at a media briefing on Friday evening, would address issues that are pushing the university lecturers’ union to threaten another wave strike.
Speaking at the event he held to mark his one year in office, Prof. Mamman hinted that already, letters inviting the union for talks with the government have been dispatched to ASUU officials and groups whose presence at the event would be necessary.
The event, which he explained would have representatives of the Federal Government led by himself, is coming on the heels of the 21-day notice of strike ASUU issued earlier this week.
“Most of the issues raised by ASUU are being attended to. For instance, the issue of exit from the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) has since been resolved by the President. Bureaucracy is the reason for delay in the implementation of that directive. But by the time we meet on Monday, some of these issues will be discussed and resolved, “he said.
The minister reiterated the Federal government’s commitment to revive the nation’s education system, among which was the stabilization of academic calendar in public universities.
“Most of the demands of ASUU started in 1981. Virtually all government has had its fair share of ASUU strikes. But the President made a commitment during the campaign that a permanent solution would be provided this time, and he has shown that in his steps and actions,” he said.
Mamman called on members of ASUU to shift grounds on some of their demands as they meet, explaining that government was doing its best to meet their demands.
Among the issues the union has been pressing for are emergency revitalisation fund of public universities; payment of outstanding earned academic allowances, and the release of withheld salaries, promotion arrears, and third-party deductions from members.
The other issues include stoppage of illegal recruitments; proliferation of public universities/abuse of universities’ laws, regulations, and processes; and removal of universities from the treasury single account, among others.
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