The 2009 agreement btw Assu and FG Prologue “Listening to the agreement that was signed by the Federal Government as Comrade Uche Chukwumerije read out, I was really wondering whether this was signed or it was just a proposal. But when he concluded, he said it was signed. It only shows the level of people the executive sent to go and negotiate on their behalf because ab initio, people must be told the truth, what can be accomplished and what cannot be accomplished. If a leader says I am going to accomplish this, he is morally duty bound to honour it. But even if you decided immediately after that you cannot accomplish it, I think it is only proper for you to go back and start renegotiating. But if you prolong it on the basis that you are still going to honour it and you don’t honour it, then it doesn’t portray us in good light.” - David Mark, Senate President. Have read the much talked about 2009 Federal Government’s agreement with ASUU? That sounds like the Holy Grail in the muddled public discourse on the ongoing strike by Nigerian varsity lecturers. It interesting to note that not many of those whose pro-ASUU noise rings louder than the rest of us have the faintest idea about what is contained in the contentious agreement. Not long ago, a popular online news portal published the 51-page long October 2009 agreement between the perennial warring parties. And I had to read through so as to have firsthand information on the vexing issues that have kept our children at home this long. A Peep into the Agreement The birthing of the agreement started on Thursday, December 14, 2006, when the then Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. (Mrs.) Obiageli Ezekwesili, on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria inaugurated the FGN/ASUU Re-negotiation Committee comprising the FGN Re-negotiation Team led by the then Pro-Chancellor, University of Ibadan, Deacon Gamaliel O. Onosode (OFR), and the ASUU Re-negotiation Team led by the then President of ASUU, Dr. Abdullahi Sule-Kano. At the meeting, the ASUU Team submitted a position paper titled “Proposals for the Re-negotiation of the 2001 Agreement between the Federal Government of Nigeria/Governments of State that own Universities and the Academic Staff Union of Universities” which reflected the views of ASUU on various issues in the 2001 FGN/ASUU Agreement. The single Term of Reference of the Committee was to re-negotiate the 2001 FGN/ASUU Agreement and enter into a workable Agreement. Both teams agreed that the following issues will form the agenda and focus for the Re-Negotiation: (a) Conditions of Service, (b) Funding, (c) University Autonomy and Academic Freedom, (d) Other Matters The Agreement was directed towards ensuring that there is a viable university system with one, rather than a multiple, set of academic standards; and whereas it is recognized by the Negotiating Teams that education is on the Concurrent List and by the Agreement, the Federal Government does not intend to and shall not compel the State Governments to implement the provisions of the Agreement in respect of their Universities. It was however recognized that the State Governments shall be encouraged to adopt the Agreement, as benchmarks, if they are to operate within the goals of achieving the same sets of academic standards for their institutions within Nigeria’s University system. The agreement included details such as the breakdown of lecturers’ salary structure, staff loans, pension, overtime, and moderation of examinations. It was agreed that entitled academic staff shall be paid earned allowances at the rates undertaking in the listed assignments. It was also agreed that Decree 11 of 1993 and the Pension Reform Act (2004) should be amended to: (a) Increase the retirement age of academics from 65 years to 70 years for those in the Professorial cadre. (b) Remove certain ambiguities from the provisions that allowed Professors to retire with full benefits, by reformulating these provisions (Pension Reform Act, 2004). An academic staff who retires as a Professor in a recognized University shall be entitled to pension at a rate equivalent to his annual salary...full page to be posted soon
Posted on: Mon, 28 Oct 2013 17:03:57 +0000
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