The Federal Government has reconstituted the renegotiation committee on the 2009 agreements with university based unions.
The Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman at the inauguration of the seven-member committee in Abuja on Tuesday, gave the committee three months to conclude on the agreements.
The meeting brought together representatives of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU).
Others are Non Academic Staff of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the National Association of Academic Technologist (NAAT).
Mamman said the government of President Bola Tinubu was determined to bring succour to the education system while also sustaining the relative peace and harmony on campuses.
“You may recall that the re-negotiation of the 2009 Agreements between the Federal Government and the University based staff Unions commenced on Monday, 13th February,
2017.
“Regrettably, this had lingered for this long due to a number of unforeseen circumstances.
“However, it is important to state that the immediate past leadership of the Renegotiation Committee under Professor Nimi Briggs, produced draft report with significant areas covered, and agreed on what would be a spring board to hinge on going forward to conclude the exercise.
” There is no gain saying that the earnest desire of every stakeholder in the Nigerian University System (NUS) and, indeed, at large, is to conclude this re-negotiation exercise within the shortest possible period,” he said.
The Minister appealed to the reconstituted Committee to double its effort towards concluding the assignment
He also charged them to produce a realistic and workable agreements that would holistically tackle the challenges confronting the NUS and reposition it to effectively play its very important role in national development.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Committee, Pro-Chancellor, Ahmadu Bello University, Dr Yayale Ahmed, appealed to the federal government to help the universities reflect its honour of global competitiveness.
Ahmed, while emphasising the importance of human capital, urged the federal government to take salaries of the lecturers as an investment rather than cost issues.
He also appealed to ASUU and other unions to take cognisance of the fact that government has a lot to do not only in education while also knowing that the country is currently going through hard times.
He, therefore, assured of the committee’s commitment to carry out the task within stipulated time.
On his part, the President of ASUU, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, thanked the government for committee while praying that this new committee would not linger just like what was experienced in the past.
Osodeke lamented that the initial committee constituted in 2017 spent two years meeting without fruitful results.
He, therefore, explained that the unions were ready for renegotiation if the government would work with them towards ensuring a stable academic calendar.
Other members of the committee are Pro-Chancellor, Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi, Sen. Olanrewaju
Tejuoso as alternate chairman, Pro-Chancellor, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Prof. Nora Daduut as member.
Others are Pro-chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Greg Mbadiwe, Pro-chancellor, Federal University of Technology Babura, Prof. Ignatius Onimao.
Also in the list are Chairman, committee of Pro-chancellors of state universities, Sen. Joshua Lidani and Prof. Ayodeji Omole, alternate chairman, committee of Pro-Chancellors of state universities.
