ASUU strike has given me anguish, internal turmoil, says Adamu Adamu

.As FG sets up new 14-man committee on grey areas

The Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, has described the ongoing strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, as an anguish and internal turmoil to him.

The minister made the remark on Tuesday in Abuja during a meeting between the federal government and Vice-Chancellors and Pro-Chancellors of federal universities.

The meeting was to find a solution to the strike which was started since February 14 and is ongoing.

Emphasising the need for the government and ASUU to resolve the crisis, the minister said:

“I used to think in a climate of frankness, and with mutual goodwill, an end or solution would have been found to incessant strikes in the education sector.

“This has not been possible or, at least, not as easy and straightforward, as I used to think.”

He expressed worry over the position that ASUU had resolved not to negotiate with the government any longer.

According to the minister, the position was unacceptable as the nation’s educational system must be rescued from its present state.

He appealed to Vice Chancellors and Pro-Chancellors to promote policies and actions that would not give the opportunity for strike.

His words: “Government and ASUU have no option than to continue talking, until our universities are reopened to students who, clearly, are the principal victims of the seemingly unending strike.

“In this circumstance, therefore, all councils and senates of our universities are enjoined to rise up to their responsibilities.

“We must, together, continue to work to restore our public universities to where they are in the 60s and 70s.

“As the most important officers in our university system, Pro-Chancellors and Vice-Chancellors must demonstrate more commitment to ending the ongoing strike.”

The minister gave the assurance that the government would continue to do everything within its power to improve the physical and academic development of universities.

Meanwhile, The Federal Government has again set up a 14-man committee to look into the grey areas of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) demands.

Mr Ben Goong, the Spokesperson of the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu disclosed this at a press conference at the end of the meeting between the Federal Government, Vice Chancellors and Pro-Chancellors of public universities on Tuesday in Abuja .

Members of the committee are Prof. Nimmi Briggs, Chairman, ASUU/FG negotiation team, Prof. Olu Obafemi,Chairman, Governing Council, Federal University, Minna, and Udo Udoma, former Minister of Budget and National Planning.

Others include Prof. Bashir Dalhatu, an elder statesman, Prof. Kabiru Bala, Vice Chancellor, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Prof. Kayode Adebowale, Vice Chancellor, University of Ibadan and Prof. Lilian Salami, Vice Chancellor, University of Benin.

Also, Prof. Duro Oni, the President, Academics of letters, Prof. Akinsanya Osibogun, President, Academics of Medicine and the President of Academic of Science made the list.

Prof. Charles Igwe, Vice Chancellor, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, JAMB Registrar and Prof. Abubakar Rasheed, the Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC) are also included.

“After enormous two-hours deliberations, the meeting constituted a committee made up of four Pro-Chancellors, five Vice Chancellors and others, to be chaired by the minister of education to further look at the grey areas ASUU is demanding, particularly the areas where there has been no consensus.

“As I speak to you, that committee is meeting and they will proceed to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari on the outcome of the deliberations of that committee.

“Two basic areas that the committee will be looking at is the ‘no work no pay’ issue and the issue of remuneration of university lecturers,” he said.

On the demand of ASUU to use the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS), Goong explained that it was not part of the areas under consideration as government had already set up a committee to fine-tune the two payment platforms including the existing IPPIS.

He said that in few days’ time, the committee would conclude and thereafter meet with President Muhammad Buhari.

On if the earlier Nimi Briggs committee would be jettison in place of the new committee, Goong said the new committee was in continuation of the Briggs committee.

“The meeting is on government side. There has been appeals for the government to take a second look at the ‘no work, no pay’ measure and that is one of the issues that the committee will look at,” he said.

Also, Prof. Peter Okebukola, the Chairman, Governing Council, National Open Universities (NOUN) expressed worry over the shut-down of the universities.

Okebukola promised that the dark cloud would soon clear as lecturers would in no time resume work, saying that the committee would conclude in no distant time.

He, therefore, said that the government was open to continued discussions and deliberations to end the strike.

On ranking of Nigerian universities, Okebukola said that the 2022 ranking was about to be concluded, saying that the ranking by the National Universities Commission (NUC) was the best in the world.

He said that this was due to the inclusivity, transparency and the credibility of its data. (NAN)edibility of its data. (NAN)

ASUU strike has given me anguish internal turmoil says Adamu Adamu