ASUU Insists Members Will Not Participate In Any Renegotiation With Federal Govt

Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has vowed not to involve itself in any round of renegotiation with the federal government concerning its 2009 agreement with the latter.

The union’s position came as the government reconstituted a renegotiation team on the 2009 agreement, following the ongoing strike that has paralysed academic activities in public varsities across the country.

The nation’s university lecturers’ body said it would not participate in any further talk with the federal government, saying it had since rounded off a negotiation with the government concerning its demands.

President of ASUU, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, reacting to the federal government’s statement that it had reconstituted a 7-member committee to renegotiate the 2009 demands, vowed that his group would not be a party to it.

Reacting to the government’s action in an exclusive interview with Vanguard, Thursday evening, Prof. Osodeke, said ASUU was waiting for the government to implement its demands so that lecturers go return to the classroom.

“We don’t know what they (federal government) are talking about, we have nothing to negotiate with the government. As far as we are concerned, we have concluded negotiation with the government,” he said.

Recall that the federal government had earlier announced the reconstitution of a team to renegotiate the 2009 agreement with ASUU

Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, who reconstituted the renegotiation team in Abuja, explained that the action was to “speedily bring to a conclusion, all outstanding issues in the 2009 agreement to achieve the desired industrial peace on our campuses.”

The chairman and members of the reconstituted 2009 FGN/University-Based Unions Agreements Re-negotiation Team has Prof. Emeritus Nimi Briggs-(Pro-Chancellor, Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike Ikwo), as chairman; Lawrence Patrick Ngbale-(Pro-Chancellor, Federal University,Wukari,as member representing North East and
Prof. Funmi Togunu-Bickersteth-(Pro-Chancellor, Federal University, Birnin Kebbi as member , representing South West.

Other members are Sen. Chris Adighije- (Pro-Chancellor, Federal University. Lokoja as member, representing southeast; Prof. Olu Obafemi -(Pro-Chancellor, Federal University of Technology, Minna, member, representing North-Central;
Prof. Zubairu Iliyasu-(Pro-Chancellor, Kano State University of Science & Technology as a member, representing North West and Barr. Matthew Seiyefa, (Pro-Chancellor, Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island as a member, representing South-South.

The Federal Ministry of Education, in a statement to this effect, through its Director of Press, Bem Goong, said,”
The team will be inaugurated by the Minister on Monday, the 7th of March, 2022 at the Minister’s Conference room, headquarters of the Federal Ministry of Education, Abuja by noon.”

“All advisers and observers in the Federal Government/University-based Unions 2009 agreements Re-negotiation Team are expected to attend the inauguration,” the statement said.