By Esther Ogbodo
October 12, 2024
In recent years, strike actions taken by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) have resulted in various adverse effects on both education and economic sectors of Nigerian society.
The trade union has expressed their dissatisfaction and frustration with the current governments lack of commitment and delays in responding to the demands of the union.
ASUU President, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke in an interview last Wednesday said, In view of the foregoing, the union resolved to give the Nigerian government another 14 days, in addition to the earlier 21 days, beginning from Monday, September 23, 2024, during which all the lingering issues must be concretely addressed to the satisfaction of the membership of the union. The union should not be held responsible for any industrial disharmony that arises from the governments failure to seize the new opportunity offered by ASUU to nip the looming crisis in the bud.
The silence on the part of the Federal Government to the demands of ASUU is not unusual. The Federal Government has gradually gained the reputation of silence towards the demands of the trade unions due to its constant use of delay tactics in handling matters concerning them – ASUU.
However, the Federal Ministry of Education on Wednesday, October 9, 2024, set up a committee to begin talks with the ASUU in order to avoid the impending strike action planned by the trade union. The 31-man committee would be inaugurated on Wednesday, October 16, 2024. Note here that the committee will start work about six day after the last ASUU 14-day ultimatum elapsed. This has made some ASUU members say the Federal Government is not really serious about negotiation but just wants to buy time with the committee set-up.
In the statement made by the Director of Press for the Federal Ministry of Education, Folasade Boriowo, The government has started working and I am sure that ASUU wont be embarking on a strike because a number of developments are on-going. A 31-man committee has been formed and they will be inaugurated next week Wednesday.
It is expected that the 31-man committee would review the demands of ASUU, which involve the renegotiation of the 2009 agreement with the Federal Government that has not been concluded, poor funding for the revitalization of public universities, non payment of the Earned Academic Allowance (EAA) and non payment of all academic staff on adjunct appointment, which was partly included in the 2023 Federal Government budget, among others.
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The Nigerian Observer is a daily newspaper published in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria, since 1968 by the Bendel Newspapers Company Limited (BNCL) and is owned by the Edo State Government
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