ASUU Strike: Federal Government Meets NAAT, SSANU and NASU Today (September)
Educational Strike Updates: FG meets SSANU, NASU, NAAT today. Some educational body says that they're not aware of any meeting, varsity workers ABUJA – THE Federal Government Negotiation Team will be meeting with the non teaching staff in the Universities today as the staff commence a nationwide strike.
Furthermore, the non teaching staff under the umbrella of Joint Action Committee made up of the National Association of Academic Technologists, NAAT, Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions, NASU and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, had on Thursday last week directed its members to proceed on nationwide strike from today as a result of unresolved issues with government. ASUU strike.
As a matter of fact, the three unions in the notice for the declaration of strike accused the Federal Government of neglecting the agreements it freely entered into with the unions since 2009 and the refusal of government to obey the judgment of the National Industrial Court that called for the reinstatement of sacked teachers of University Staff Schools. But the non academic staff last night told Vanguard that they were not aware of any meeting with the government team.
However, the Chairman of JAC of the three unions Comrade Samson Chijioke Ugwoke told news men that there was no invitation to the unions for a meeting with the government team. Meanwhile, this was contrary to information from the Deputy Director, Press, Ministry of Labour and Employment, Samuel Olowookere who said that the unions will be meeting with the government team by 3pm today.
For this reason, please recall that the threat notice by the three university affiliate unions was signed by Comrades Sani Suleiman, National President of NAAT, Chris Ani, President of NASU and Samsom Chijioke Ugwoke, President of SSANU. Similarly, Chairman of JAC of the three unions and National President of SSANU, Comrade Ugwoke lamented that every effort made by the unions for government to see reasons for implementing the 2009 agreements had not yielded any result.
In the long run, Ugwoke said that the unions had met with the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige on 18th January, 2017 at the ministry to conclude their conciliation meeting over the ultimatum issued by the unions through JAC over some of the issues that were contained in the 2009 agreements. As can be seen, the JAC Chairman enumerated some of the contentious issues to include: “The payment of Earned Allowances to non teaching members of staff in universities and inter-university centres.
Moreover, increased funding of our Universities in line with UNESCO standards, improvement of infrastructure in our Universities and implementation of CONTISS 14 and 15 for Technologists.” Furthermore, also contained in the agreement was a review of the governance system in our universities as the unions were of the view that “Presently, the faulty governance system is what accounts for the dilemma which our universities presently find themselves.”
Above all, Ugwoke cited instance of the alleged usurpation of non teaching staff functions by their teaching staff counterparts, which he said made the teaching staff to deviate from their primary assignment of teaching and research. Generally speaking, he said, “Another is the faulty and skewed constitution of membership of university governing councils which have led to poor decision making and poor administration of the universities with the attendant result of deterioration of standards and the quality.”
As a matter of fact, the unions said, “Following the agreements, we had for eight years patiently and understandingly awaited action from government to consummate the terms of the agreements.
On the other hand, unfortunately, the government has not been responsive to these issues and where actions appear to have been taken on any of them, they have been implemented in breach. “In between time, we had engaged in various consultations and dialogues with government on the issues at stake. In the light of this, letters had been written and protests had been made to no avail.
From here on, through various organs of government, particularly the offices of the Secretary to the Federation, SGF, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Labour and Employment, we had made representations on our issues which have largely been ignored. “Ordinarily, rather than heed to our demands, matters have continued to worsen.
The Nigerian Universities have continued to deteriorate. In short, the poor governance system in the universities which has brought the universities to their knees has perpetuated itself to the point that our rankings among the comity of World-class Universities are deplorable. “Likewise, corruption has taken its toll in the University system while the infrastructure and facilities are nothing to write home about.
All things considered, while JAC acknowledges and is supportive of the Federal Government’s fight against corruption, we believe that there is more to be done to ensure that individuals found culpable should be dealt with according to the law, while whistleblowers should be protected. “For all these malaise and others we have cried out to no avail. For this reason, the welfare of our members has been neglected.
Similarly, a vivid example of the provocation experienced in the hands of government is over the University Staff Schools. In 2015, the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission acting on behalf of the Federal Government directed heads of institutions and agencies to stop the inclusion of workers in the University Staff Schools from payrolls of their institutions. “In the long run, based on this directive, over two thousand of our members were technically retrenched from the services of the Federal and State Governments which employed them through their University Governing Councils.
Comparatively, this directive was also in gross contravention of the agreements reached with the University Staff Unions on the Status of Staff Schools. “in line with decent labour practice, we declared a trade dispute which resulted in government referring the relevant clauses in the 2009 Agreements to the National Industrial Court for interpretation.
In the same fashion, following one year of legal exchange, the National Industrial Court on 5th December, 2006, ruled that the Government must continue to fund the recurrent and capital costs of University Staff Schools in line with the agreement. “rather than respect and obey the rule of law, Government kept mute despite series of communications on the issue to the Honourable Ministers of Education, Labour and Employment and the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission.
In summary, “Having comprehensively cleared from our members and gotten a direction from them, we hereby announce that the JAC of NAAT, NASU and SSANU has directed its members to embark on a comprehensive, total and indefinite strike action effective from Monday, 11th September 2017. “In conclusion, during the strike, there shall be no provision of services no matter how skeletal. Concessions shall not be granted while all our members are stay at home till further notice unless as directed by JAC through their respective Presidents.”