In a bid to bring to an end the lingering strike which the organisation has undergone for the past few months, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has urged the Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari to meet with the Prof. Nimi Briggs-led Committee on negotiation.
ASUU President, Prof. Emmanuel Osekede said this on Tuesday in Abuja.
The Briggs committee which was set up by the Federal Government of Nigeria on June 7, is to renegotiate the 2009 Agreement with ASUU and submit its report to the Education Minister, Malam Adamu Adamu in three months.
Read Also: Blame FG, Not Lecturers, For Strike, ASUU Tells Nigerians
Buhari had in a statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, said “truly, enough is enough for keeping students at home.’’
Osedeke said: “I do not understand why Mr President said that “enough is enough’’ when we are not the ones delaying the students at home.
“The federal government had sent its team to negotiate with us and we have finished. Instead of coming back to us to tell us the outcome of the meeting, we are hearing this.
“If you set up a committee to negotiate on your behalf, and the committee has finished and they have brought the information to you to sign and then you said enough is enough, what does this mean?’’ he asked.
He urged Buhari to meet the negotiation teams and to sign the report.
The Briggs-led committee is expected to review the draft proposed FGN/ASUU Agreement, has the following Terms of Reference, liaise and consult with relevant stakeholders to finalise the position of the Federal Government to the issues in the draft proposed FGN/ASUU Renegotiated Agreement.
It is also to renegotiate in realistic and workable terms the 2009 Agreements with other University-Based Unions; negotiate and recommend any other issue the Committee deems relevant to reposition the NUC for global competitiveness and submit proposed draft agreements within three months from the date of inauguration.
ASUU, among other unions in the education sector, began the ongoing strike on Feb. 14, after the federal government failed to meet some of its demands including, the release of revitalisation funds for universities, renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU agreement, release of earned allowances for university lecturers, and deployment of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution.
The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities and other Allied Institutions (NASU) have also requested the adoption of the University Peculiar Payroll Payment System (U3PS).
The committee is chaired by Briggs, Pro-Chancellor, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Ebonyi.
Other members are Pro-Chancellor, Federal University, Wukari, Arc. Lawrence Patrick Ngbale, who represents North East; Pro-Chancellor, Federal University, Birnin Kebbi, Prof. Funmi Togunu-Bickersteth, representing South West and Pro-Chancellor, Federal University, Lokoja, Senator Chris Adighije, representing South East.
Also on the team are Pro-Chancellor, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Prof. Olu Obafemi from North-Central; Pro-Chancellor, Kano State University of Science & Technology, Prof. Zubairu Iliyasu, representing North West; and Pro-Chancellor, Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island, Mathew Seiyefa from South-South.
