ASUU Strike: We’ve Done our Best, says FG
The Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, has said that the Federal Government has done all it can to end the ongoing strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
He said this to reporters at an ongoing meeting with Pro-Chancellors and Vice-Chancellors of Federal Universities at the National Universities Commission (NUC), Abuja.
As of the time of filing this report, the meeting has gone into a closed-door session, with the minister expected to brief reporters at the end of the meeting.
Adamu said: “In all that we have been doing, our guide has been the directive of Mr President Muhammadu Buhari, namely, that while the unions should be persuaded to return to work, government should not repeat the past mistakes of accepting to sign an agreement it will be unable to implement.
“Government should not, in the guise of resolving current challenges, sow seeds for future disruptions.
“We have done the best that we can under the circumstances. After Inter-ministerial consultations and rounds of hard negotiations with all government agencies, we interacted with the Unions.
“I personally gave it all it required to resolve the current challenges. I met the Unions anywhere and everywhere possible with facts, with figures, and with absolute sincerity.
“For example, I directly met with ASUU leadership in my house, in my office, and at the ASUU Secretariat on several different occasions, in addition to other formal engagements going on.
“To be frank, with all the unions, especially with ASUU, one major issue over which the Government and the Unions could not reach an amicable agreement was the issue of the law on “No work, No pay”.
“In the spirit of sincerity, the Government made it clear that it would not break the law. And on this, I must, openly and once again, thank all the Unions which made the sacrifice of understanding the position of Government on the matter.”
ASUU had on February 14 declared a one-month warning strike that has now snowballed into a full-blown strike.
The strike, which in its sixth month has kept public universities closed with students and Nigerians confused as to when it will all end.
Part of the demands the union is holding out for include: funding for revitalisation of public universities; payment of Earned Academic Allowances (EAA)/Earned Allowances (EA); payment of salary shortfalls; stopping the proliferation of state universities by governors; and setting up of Visitation Panels.
Others are: renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU agreement; adoption of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) as a payment platform for university lecturers and payment of withheld salaries and non-remittance of check – off dues.
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FAQs: ASUU Strike: “We’ve Done Our Best,” Says FG
Why did the Federal Government say it has done its best regarding the ASUU strike?
The Federal Government made the statement to indicate that it had taken significant steps to address the issues raised by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and expected the union to consider the government’s efforts.
What are the major issues behind the ASUU strike?
The issues have included lecturers’ welfare, salary and allowance payments, university funding, working conditions, and the implementation of agreements reached between ASUU and the Federal Government.
Has the Federal Government resolved all the issues raised by ASUU?
Not necessarily. While the government may have addressed some demands or made proposals, ASUU may still have outstanding concerns requiring further negotiation before a complete resolution can be reached.
How does the ASUU strike affect university students?
A prolonged strike can disrupt lectures, examinations and other academic activities. It may also lead to changes in academic calendars and potentially delay students’ graduation timelines.
What can students do while waiting for the ASUU strike situation to be resolved?
Students should regularly follow official updates from their universities, ASUU and the Federal Government. Where academic activities are suspended, students can use the period to revise their coursework, develop relevant skills and prepare for upcoming examinations or academic activities.
