Federal Government Disavows Endorsement of 2009 ASUU Accord, Labels Document as a Draft
The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has reassured Nigerians that the ongoing Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) protests will not lead to strike action, with the government's primary focus being on keeping schools open and ensuring children remain in classrooms.
In a high-level meeting held on August 28, 2022, the Ministry of Education, along with relevant stakeholders, reviewed and harmonized ASUU's proposals. Permanent Secretaries from the Ministries of Education, Labour, and Justice, as well as leaders of key agencies, including the National Universities Commission (NUC), the Salaries and Wages Commission, and the Budget Office, were present.
The Minister emphasized that the government is committed to finding lasting measures to ensure uninterrupted learning. He also stated that what has lingered since the 2009 and 2021 agreements will now be addressed in a sustainable way.
The Tinubu-led administration is focused on sustainable and constitutionally backed solutions. To this end, the Ministry of Justice will now be directly involved in the process to ensure that agreements comply with constitutional provisions.
The Minister clarified that there is no binding agreement between the Federal Government and ASUU. The existing document between the two parties is described as a draft, not a binding accord. A technical team is working on producing a final version of the report from the meeting.
The Federal Government has been engaging ASUU consistently, and the Minister assured that future agreements will be practical, legally sound, and actionable. The government does not want to enter into bogus or unsustainable agreements.
The Minister of Education, Dr. Alausa, also stated that the President has made it clear that every promise made to ASUU and Nigerians will be fulfilled truthfully and honestly. The committee's report will be delivered to the Yayale Ahmed-led committee tasked with renegotiating the 2009 ASUU/FG agreement.
The standoff between ASUU and the Federal Government dates back to 2009, with recurrent strikes disrupting academic calendars for years. The minister's reassurances come as a relief to many Nigerians, who have been affected by these disruptions. The meeting was attended by the Minister of State for Education, the Minister of Labour and Productivity, and the Solicitor-General of the Federation.
The search results do not contain specific information about which parties were involved in the elevation of the meeting on August 28, 2022, regarding the ASUU demands. However, the government's commitment to finding a resolution and ensuring the continuity of education is evident in its consistent engagement with ASUU and the high-level meetings held to address the issues at hand.
