By Segun Adeyemi
The Federal Government has taken steps to ensure university lectures return to work as soon as possible.
A meeting was held Tuesday, involving the Minister of Labour and Employment Chris Ngige and representatives of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
Meanwhile, the meeting reached an agreement on the forensic audit of the N30 billion given to ASUU in 2010, with a monthly remittance while the audit last.
However, Samuel Olowookere of the ministry said the meeting will recommence Wednesday to ensure further momentous decisions are made to foster speedy resolution of the indefinite strike action and welfare of teachers and funding of university education as contained in the 2009 accord.
“The Minister hence wishes to assure members of ASUU, indeed all Nigerians, that government is already at work to resolve all outstanding issues in line with the resolve of the present administration to cast any form of disruption of universities’ academic calendar into the dust bin of history,” the ministry added.
The minister also acknowledged that there is an ongoing renegotiation of the 2009 accord between the federal government and ASUU by the Babalakin Committee.
“The Federal Government set up the Babalakin Committee on 13th Feb. 2017, which is already addressing the issues raised by ASUU.
“Though the Federal Government did not wish to apportion blame, it is important to note that ASUU did not follow due process in the declaration of the industrial action as it did not give the Federal Government the mandatory 15 days’ notice as contained in the Section 41 of Trade Disputes Act, Cap T8, 2004.
“In fact, it was on 14th Aug., 2017 that the Office of the Minister received a letter dated 13th Aug. 2017 from ASUU, that is, one full day after it commenced the strike.”
Mr Olowokere further noted that the letter was to inform the Federal Government that ASUU had begun a strike, adding that this is not a declaration of intention to go on strike as contained in the Trade Dispute Act, 2004.
He said that since the case was being conciliated, it was against the spirit of Social Dialogue and Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) for ASUU to embark on strike as enunciated in the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention.
“The Federal Government therefore wishes to appeal to ASUU to consider students who are currently writing degree and promotion examinations. Please, call off the strike and return to the negotiation table,” he said.
The minister added that the Ministry of Labour and Employment would ensure that a time frame is tied to the negotiations.
Mr Ngige assured that ASUU that the “Babalakin Committee was ever ready to continue the negotiations, indeed, has all the necessary ingredients for fruitful social dialogue as well as adequate powers to negotiate and make recommendations to the Federal Government”.
He noted that the ingredients for fruitful social dialogue as well as adequate powers to negotiate and make recommendations to the Federal Government had been put in place.
