Strike: FG Set To Renegotiate Pact With ASUU

There are indications that the Federal Government is deploying all means to placate the striking university lecturers, under the auspices of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
To this end, the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, has appointed a seven-man team headed by Pro-Chancellor, Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike Ikwo, Prof. Emeritus Nimi Briggs as chairman.
The new team is to renegotiate the 2009 agreement it had with ASUU.
The latest development comes after members of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) took a protest to the ministry in Abuja to express their displeasure over the strike.
Adamu, walked out on the students that fateful day, a situation that infuriated some of the protesters.
Reconstituting the team, Adamu noted that there is a need to speedily bring to a conclusion, all outstanding issues in the 2009 agreement in order to achieve the desired industrial peace on our campuses.
Other members of the renegotiation committee include Pro-Chancellor, Federal University, Wukari,Arc. Lawrence Patrick Ngbale as member (North-East); Pro-Chancellor, Federal University, Birnin Kebbi, Prof. Funmi Togunu-Bickersteth as member (South-West); Pro-Chancellor, Federal University, Lokoja, Sen. Chris Adighije, member (South-East); Pro-Chancellor, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Prof. Olu Obafemi,member (North-Central); Pro-Chancellor, Kano State University of Science & Technology, Prof. Zubairu Iliyasu, member (North-West); and Pro-Chancellor, Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island, Barrister Matthew Seiyefa, member, South-South.
A statement by the ministry indicated that the team would be inaugurated by the minister on Monday, March7, 2022, at the minister’s conference room, headquarters of the Federal Ministry of Education, Abuja by 12noon.
It also noted that all advisers and observers in the Federal Government/university-based unions 2009 agreements re-negotiation team are expected to attend the inauguration.
ASUU had embarked on a month-long warning strike to press home demands bothering on universities revitalisation funds as well as the implementation of the Integrated Personnel Payrolls and Payment Systems (IPPIS).
Since the strike commenced, academic activities in the entire university system in Nigeria have been shut down.