By Our Reporter
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has urged the President Bola Tinubu administration to speedily put a final closure to the FGN/ASUU 2009 renegotiation agreement by directing the upward review in view of current economic realities.
The body also called on the Presidency to direct the signing of the draft agreement reached with the Nimi Briggs committee.
Addressing reporters shortly after its meeting, ASUU Owerri Zone Coordinator, Prof Dennis Aribodor, regretted that the 2009 agreement renegotiation had dragged for seven years since 2017, while university lectures have been on same salary structure for 15 years.
He said the signing of the agreement would be a concrete step towards restoring dignity of the academia and ensuring industrial harmony and peace in the universities.
He said, “The reluctance of the Fedeal Government to conclude the renegotiation is the reason why the Government committee has had three Chairmen from Wale Babalakin through Munzali Jibril to Nimi Briggs. This means that academic staff in our universities have been on the same salary structure for 15 years.
“The most obvious implication of the truncation of the renegotiation of the Agreement is that university teachers in Nigeria have been on the same salary regime since 2009 when the value of the naira to the dollar was N120 as against N1800 today.”
Describing step taken by the Tinubu administration to pay four months of the withheld salaries as one in right direction, Aribodo further urged the administration to put a closure to agitations surrounding the withheld salaries by clearing the remaining three and half months.
“That struggle by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, instigated by the failure of government to honour agreements, was after all in the national interest. Meeting ASUU’s demand in this regard is a panacea for industrial peace in our universities.
On the issue of proliferation of Universities, ASUU expressed worry over establishment of universities by federal and state governments without making adequate preparations for their funding.
“The proliferation of Universities was one of the issues that led to the strike actions of 2020 and 2022, and part of the MoA signed by ASUU and FGN stressed the need to review the NUC Act to make it more potent in arresting the reckless and excessive establishment of univerities.The review has not been done.
“The massive and reckless manner by which federal and state governments are establishing universities without making adequate preparations for their funding should be brought to a halt.
“Federal and State Governments should focus on adequately funding existing universities to enhance their capacity to admit more students,” the body stated.
