The minister of education, Adamu Adamu, on Tuesday said he
had been in a dark period of personal anguish and internal turmoil following
the lingering strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities.
This was made known during the meeting with vice-chancellors
and pro-chancellors of federal universities at the National Universities
Commission in Abuja on Tuesday.
“For me, the past two weeks have been a very dark period of
personal anguish and internal turmoil. I used to deceive myself that in a
climate of frankness, and with mutual goodwill, it will fall to my lot to bring
an end to the incessant strikes in the education sector.
This has not proved possible, or, at least, not as easy,
quickly and straightforward, as I used to think.
“Distinguished Chairmen, vice-chancellors, I called you
today not to share with you my anguish but to share with you the details of
what we have done and what remains to be done. And certainly, a lot remains to
be done. But for very different reasons, the current positions of Government
and ASUU on the future of negotiations seem to have coincided.
“For me, this is a position I would have wanted us to reach
after an amicable resolution of all the issues contained in the 2009
Agreements. It appears that we are running ahead of the negotiations but not
for the right reasons. The President of ASUU has been reported to have said the
Union would no longer negotiate with the current Federal Government.
“This position must be resisted. Government and ASU have no
option than to continue talking until our universities have reopened their
doors to students, who clearly are the principal victims of the seemingly
unending strikes. In the circumstances, therefore, all Councils and Senates of
our universities are enjoined to rise up to their responsibilities.
“We must, together,
continue to work to restore our public universities to where they were in the
60s and 70s. As the most important officers in our university system,
Pro-Chancellors and Vice-Chancellors, must demonstrate more commitment to
ending the ongoing strike.
“As Chairmen of Councils and Senates – the highest policy
and academic bodies in the system – you must consider it your paramount duty to
promote policies and actions that will discourage industrial disputes in our
campuses. Government will continue to support the physical and academic
development of its universities.
Government will continue to reasonably enhance the working
conditions of all university staff, academic and non-teaching.
“The main challenge, as you are fully aware, is dwindling
resources available to address all the concerns of the citizenry. We thank you
for your support, understanding and sacrifices.”
ASUU had embarked on a strike on Monday, February 14, 2022
following what the union tagged as failure of the government to meet lingering
demands.
Details later…
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