August 29, (THEWILL) — The federal government has reiterated its unwavering commitment to resolving the long-standing issues with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in a sustainable, realistic, and constitutionally-backed manner.
The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, who made this known, however, declared that government would not endorse “unsustainable agreements” with the lecturers but determined to commit to practical, affordable, implementable, and constitutionally sound pacts.
Alausa noted that President Bola Tinubu has directed his ministry, in collaboration with relevant agencies, to deliver a lasting solution that would prevent future disruptions to the academic calendar.
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A statement signed on Friday by the Ministry’s Director, Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade, assured Nigerians that recent ASUU protests would not escalate into strike action, as the government has been engaging the union continuously and constructively.
“Mr President has mandated myself and the Honourable Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Sai’d Ahmad, to work with all stakeholders to resolve this issue once and for all. Nigerians can be assured that this process is being handled with the highest level of diligence, accountability, and honesty of purpose”, Alausa noted.
The minister added that progress has already been made on key demands, including the payment and mainstreaming of earned academic allowances, while clarifying that the outstanding 25/35 percent wage arrears would be paid when the federal government begins payment to other public servants.
The meeting, held in the ministry, was attended by the Minister of Labour and Productivity, the Solicitor-General of the Federation, Permanent Secretaries from the Ministries of Education, Labour and Justice, as well as the Executive Secretary of National University Commission (NUC), the Executive Secretary of TETFund, the Budget Office, and the Chairman of the Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission. The meeting reviewed ASUU’s proposals line by line.
Alausa revealed that a technical committee, chaired by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Abel Enitan, has been inaugurated to produce a clean counter-draft that would be presented to the Yayale Ahmed-led Committee for further negotiations with ASUU.
He added that unlike in the past, the Ministry of Justice will be fully involved in the process to ensure that the final agreement aligns with constitutional provisions.
The minister expressed optimism that with mutual respect and continuous dialogue, the government will deliver a resolution that will end the recurring cycle of disputes and strikes
“This government does not want strikes. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu strongly believes that young people are the heartbeat of this nation, and he is determined to keep our children in school. We are committed to this task with sincerity, transparency, and respect for all parties”, he stated.
