The face-off between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) deepened on Friday, as Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim ordered the striking lecturers to return to their duty post while the contending issues are being resolved. Anyim, who reeled out a number of agreements government has had with ASUU’s executives since the strike began, said the Federal Government has shown enough commitment to ending the strike but that the lecturers are being inconsiderate with their demands. The SGF’s reaction is, however, coming on the heels of recent threat by ASUU to discontinue further deliberations with the Federal Government team over the strike. ASUU began its current strike on July 1 following failure of government to implement a 2009 agreement on public universities funding between the two parties. Said Anyim: “Government is making every effort to revitalise the university system, by this demonstration of clear commitment to revitalise the university system, Government hereby urges every staff of the nation’s universities to return to work as all issues are being resolved.” The SGF also formally announced the disbursement of N130billion sourced by the Gabriel Suswam led NEEDS implementation committee and the Federal Government for revitalizing infrastructures within the university system and settlement of earned allowances arrears. Anyim said most of the issues contained in the 2009 agreement, which necessitated the current strike have been fully met except for the earned allowances that ASUU pegged at N92billion. He said: “On July 2nd, 2013, ASUU declared what it called, “total and indefinite strike” over issues it says have remained unresolved pertaining to an agreement it reached with government in 2009. “It is pertinent to narrate the genesis of the 2009 agreement, ASUU went on strike action in 2006 based on their request for a review of personnel matters, on account of this, government initiated a Needs Assessment of the University system comprising Federal and States universities, the negotiations led to the 2009 agreement. “Some of issues, which bothered on amendment of pensionable retirement age of academics in the professorial cadre, consolidated peculiar allowances (CONPUAA), exclusively for university teaching staff, National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), setting up of budget monitoring committee in all public universities have been fully implemented.” He said areas where government’s hands are tied like the transfer of federal government landed property to universities have been clearly explained why it would not be possible to implement such aspects. “Government has been clear that it cannot transfer government landed property to ASUU because it has no structure to manage or maintain such property. Government is however willing to support any Council that sets up a property company with management structure to compete with others in the industry,” he stated. In a related development, Minister of Education, Ruqayyatu Rufa’i, at the event in Abuja, said she expected ASUU to suspend the strike going by the latest action of government. She said the situation has generated so much anxiety both on the part of the students, parents and government adding that negotiations on the remaining issues can continue. Said the minister: “Government is ready to implement all the recommendations, particularly as it relates to revitalisation of the universities system. I want to assure you that this will be done in the next few years. “I want to also assure you that only two areas are vital even though all others we have been working with the academic staff union and non academic staff union in the areas of funding and revitalization of the sector and earned allowance,” she stated.
Posted on: Sun, 25 Aug 2013 23:14:54 +0000
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