The Federal Ministry of Education has set up a 31-member committee to renegotiate the 2009 agreement between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). This initiative aims to prevent a possible disruption in the academic calendar after ASUU issued a fresh strike threat.
The panel is set to be inaugurated next Wednesday, according to Folasade Boriowo, Director of Press at the Ministry of Education. ASUU had previously issued the government a 14-day ultimatum to resolve lingering issues, including the renegotiation of the 2009 agreement based on the Nimi Briggs Committee’s 2021 Draft Agreement and the release of withheld salaries from the 2022 strike.
Other ASUU demands include unpaid salaries for staff on sabbatical, part-time, and adjunct appointments affected by the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), third-party deductions, and funding for university revitalization, partially covered in the 2023 budget.
ASUU President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, emphasized the union’s frustration with the government’s delays, warning that the union should not be blamed for any resulting industrial action if their demands are not met within the additional 14-day period starting September 23, 2024.
