After eight months in the trenches, including the courts, the Academic Staff Union of Universities on Friday grudgingly called off its strike action.; but House of Representatives Speaker, Honourable Femi Gbajabiamila, believes critical issues around the disagreement have not yet been resolved, and require all stakeholders to begin the critical conversation on the future of public tertiary education.
His words, in a statement, on Friday: “The suspension of this strike does not mean all the issues of funding, education standard, and student and staff welfare have been resolved. Therefore, we must not rest on our oars. Instead, let this be a call to action for the government, universities, unions, and citizens to begin the critical conversation about the future of public tertiary education in the country. I assure you that this is an objective the House of Representatives will pursue with dedication and determination.”
Celebration of the move by the union has, however, remained measured by students and parents across the country, owing to the conditional nature of ASUU’s position.
In a press statement, after an overnight meeting in Abuja on Friday ASUU observed that the issues in its disputes with the Federal Government were “yet to be satisfactorily addressed.”
President of the union, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, was full of praises for the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Femi Gbajabiamila, in the way he intervened in the face-off between the union and government.
The statement reads in part, “ The National Executive Council of ASUU held an emergency meeting at the Comrade Festus Iyayi National Secretariat, University of Abuja, Abuja, on Thursday, October 13, 2022”.
“The National Industrial Court, in its wisdom, gave an order compelling ASUU to resume work pending the determination of the substantive suit. Given the nature of the order, and in the opinion of our counsel, there was the need to appeal the interlocutory injunction granted against our union at the Court of Appeal.
“The Court of Appeal acknowledged the validity of the grounds of the union’s appeal but still upheld the order of the lower court and ordered our union to comply with the ruling of the lower court as condition precedent for the appeal to be heard.
“NEC noted the series of meetings with the leadership of the House of Representatives led by the Hon. Speaker, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, as well as intervention efforts of other well-meaning Nigerians both within and outside the government and the progress made so far….
“While appreciating the commendable efforts of the leadership of the House of Representatives and other patriotic Nigerians who waded into the matter, NEC noted with regrets that the issues in dispute were yet to be satisfactorily addressed.
“However, as a law-abiding union and in deference to appeals by President, Muhammadu Buhari , and in recognition of the efforts of Hon. Gbajabiamila, and other well-meaning Nigerians, ASUU NEC resolved to suspend the strike action embarked upon on February 14, 2022. Consequently, all members of ASUU are hereby directed to resume all services hitherto withdrawn with effect from 12:01 on Friday, October 14, 2022.”
Recall that after meeting with the leadership of the House of Representatives over the lingering strike embarked upon by lecturers, ASUU had hinted the strike will likely be called off this week and the institutions fully re-opened next week for academic activities in the country.
ASUU had expressed optimism that the intervention by the House of Representatives in the face-off with the Federal Government would yield desired results.
Prof Osodeke, who spoke when the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, briefed the union in Abuja after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari said, “For the first time, we have seen light at the end of the tunnel.”
The Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, had hinted awhile back that ASUU will likely call off its ongoing strike while confirming negotiations are still ongoing between the Federal Government and the union.
Adamu confirmed that the government has agreed to release the balance of N23billion Earned Allowances to the striking lecturers.
Speaking with a senate committee, the minister disclosed that the Ministry of Finance has promised to undertake a forensic audit of the N30billion allowance earlier released to the lecturers, bringing the total to N53billion.