The industrial dispute between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities may worsen following the insistence of the Federal Ministry of Education that its proposed agreement with the union will not be binding on state universities.
The spokesman for the Federal Ministry of Education, Ben Goong , in an interview with one of our correspondents in Abuja on Wednesday, explained that the Federal Government could not dictate to states on education as it is on the concurrent legislative list.
A committee led by the Pro-Chancellor of the Federal University of Lokoja, Prof. Nimi Briggs, had reportedly recommended a 180 per cent pay rise for lecturers, but the government was said to have favoured a 100 per cent increase.
It was gathered that the ministries of finance, education, labour and employment, Budget Office of the Federation, Office of the Head of Service of the Federation and the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission were still working out the final details of the proposal.
The ASUU President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, insisted that any agreement reached with the Federal Government would be binding on the states, thus opening another battle front between the union and the government.
The members of ASUU, including federal and state universities, had embarked on a strike on February 14, 2022.
Following the inability of the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige to resolve the strike, the President, major General Muhammdu Buhari (retd.), two weeks ago directed the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, to take over the negotiation with the ASUU leadership.
To compel a quick resolution of the crisis, the Nigeria Labour Congress held nationwide protests on July 26 and 27 in solidarity with the union.
However, ASUU on Monday extended the industrial action by another four weeks.
Responding to a question from The PUNCH on whether the proposed agreement would be binding on all universities in the country, Goong said, “The agreement between the Federal Government is not binding on state universities. Education is on the concurrent list, the Federal Government cannot tell states what to do when it comes to the management of their institutions.
“Any agreement made with ASUU is only binding on the institutions owned by the Federal Government. The state government will handle their own institutions.”
But reacting to the government’s position in an interview with The PUNCH on Wednesday, the ASUU president stated that the university system is a single entity, arguing further that there was no disparity between state and federal universities.
Osodeke said, “I don’t know who you spoke to but that person doesn’t know what he is saying. I can tell you that the renegotiation team is made up of pro-chancellors of state and federal universities. So, how can anyone say the agreement won’t be binding on state universities? The person doesn’t know what he is saying.”
The ASUU leader contended that the few institutions that did not join in the strike were not their members.
“Whatever negotiations other states are into, Anambra is also in it; we are not backbenchers in matters that have to do with education and especially when it has to do with progressivism.”
Speaking with one of our correspondents, the Special Adviser to the Osun state Governor on Education, Jamiu Olawumi, said if the lecturers’ salary was reviewed, states would expect the FG to assist them in meeting the demand.
On his part, the Gombe State Commissioner for Higher Education, Meshack Lauco, said out of the eight demands highlighted by ASUU, the state government had defaulted only in the earned allowances, adding that they had reached an agreement.
The Ogun State Government explained that it would wait for ASUU to present the agreement reached with the FG before it would commit itself to any arrangement.
The state Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu said the government would need to know the nature of the arrangement first.
He said “The question is loaded, I cannot answer yes or no. I should know what I want to agree to. Education is on the concurrent legislative list. If it is acceptable, we can now see what to do.
“When they come back and see what we can do; immediately, we will always try to make sure we do something so that our institution will not be inferior to others. So, let’s see what they agreed on and see how to work it out.”
Meanwhile the National Association of Nigerian Students on Wednesday called for the resignation of the minister of education.
NANS in a statement in Abuja, said, “Since he became minister, ASUU has gone on strike for almost 18 months cumulatively and the entire educational structure of our tertiary education system is in total shambles under his watch.’’
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