In an effort to end the Academic Staff Union of Universities’ ongoing strike, the Federal Government has called pro-chancellors, vice-chancellors, and Chairmen of governing councils of federal universities to a meeting in Abuja on September 6.
Clariform has learn that the National Universities Commission called the meeting, during which attendees will be expected to discuss the government’s response to the strike action.
Chris Maiyaki, the NUC’s Deputy Executive Secretary for Administration, signed the letter inviting the heads of universities to the meeting, which one of our reporter was able to get a hold of on Wednesday.
The meeting has become a necessity as the ASUU strike approached its 198th day and the university lecturers made a decision to stay on a course for comprehensive and indefinite industrial action to press home their demands.
Some parents in and students have criticized both ASUU and the government in the situation ongoing in the nation`s universities.
A look at the Nigerian university system shows that almost a full academic session is being sacrificed in the rift between the university lecturers and the federal government.
ASUU says it embarked on the strike action following government`s inaction over some agreements that were reached between the union and the federal government.
Due to what ASUU claimed as the government’s “failure” to accept its demands, the union went on strike on February 14.
The demands include paying owed allowances, giving universities funding for revitalization, setting up visiting panels, and using the University Transparency Accountability Solution to pay ivory tower employees rather than the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System.
A committee led by Prof. Nimi Briggs was established by the government to examine the 2009 ASUU-FG agreement and the union’s demands.
ASUU leaders claimed that no offer was presented to them when they left a meeting with the government on August 16.
However, Adamu Adamu, the Minister of Education, claimed in a press conference that non-academic unions had consented to call off their strike.
The minister claimed that university lecturers insisted on being paid during their off-duty time, a demand that the government was unable to accede to.
As a result of the government’s refusal to accede to ASUU’s demands, the union announced on Monday that it had chosen to declare “a complete, entire, and indefinite strike.”
The NUC stated in its letter of invitation that the meeting with pro-chancellors and vice-chancellors on September 6 will examine actions taken on the university lecturer`s strike in other to achieve a consensus.
NOTABLE QUOTE
The letter stated, “As the pro-chancellors and chairmen of councils and the vice-chancellors are quite aware the industrial action by University-based unions has led to the closure of the institutions since February 2022.
“You are also aware that the non-teaching unions have suspended their industrial actions with effect from 24th August, 2022, while a final decision is being awaited from the Academic Staff Union of Universities.”
“It has become necessary for the governing councils and the managements of the universities to be briefed on the decisions and actions taken by the Federal Government so far to allow for a well coordinated review of the situation including building consensus around succeeding actions.”
“Consequently, I am to invite the pro-chancellors and chairmen of councils as well as vice-chancellors of federal universities to a special interactive meeting with the Honourable Minister of Education on Tuesday, September 6, 2022.”
Although the letter omitted the meeting’s exact agenda, Our reporter understood that it will cover possibilities for funding universities, including the N10,000 levy proposed by the Parent-Teacher Association, in light of the government’s current financial crisis and budget deficit.
According to a source at the Nigeria Universities Commission, “We will discuss ways we can end the strike and universities can be better financed.”
