The PUNCH has learned that the conflict between striking Nigerian university lecturers and the Federal Government has escalated.
Academic Staff Union of Universities members accused the Federal Government of "sabotaging attempts to ensure decent education for Nigerian youths."
The academics were particularly enraged by remarks made by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd. ), and the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige.
According to the PUNCH, ASUU began its ongoing strike on February 14 after the Federal Government failed to meet some of its demands, which included the release of revitalisation funds and earned allowances, renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU agreement, and implementation of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution.
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| Prof Emmanuel Osodeke (Asuu president) and Chris Ngige (Minister of Labour and Employment) |
"Truly, enough is enough for keeping pupils at home," Buhari stated in a statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Ngige accused ASUU President Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke of spreading false information, saying that there was no Collective Bargaining Agreement between FG and ASUU pending signature by the President.
Osodeke, a guest on Channels TV's Sunrise Daily, slammed Ngige for his "insulting" remarks.
"What the Labour Minister has done is an utter disrespect to the character of persons like Professor Nimi Briggs, Senator Chris Adighije, and Professor Olu Obafemi." Osodeke
"Instead of focusing on how to tackle the problem, the minister is busy insulting his colleagues, including the Minister of Education," he stated.
Osodoke also charged the minister with distributing false information.
"It is really unfortunate that we have reached a point where our youngsters are crying at home while the Minister of Labour is busy disseminating false information and misinforming the public in order to damage the integrity of ASUU," the professor remarked.
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In response to Buhari's remark, the ASUU president stated, "I do not understand why Mr President said 'enough is enough,' since we are not the ones delaying the students at home."
"The Federal Government dispatched a team to negotiate with us, and we have concluded." Instead of returning to us to inform us of the meeting's outcome, we are hearing this.
"If you form a committee to negotiate on your behalf, and the committee completes its work and theyhave brought the information to you to sign and then you said enough is enough, what does this mean?” he asked.
The Federal Government formed a negotiation committee led by Prof. Nimi Briggs on June 7 to rewrite the 2009 Agreement with ASUU and deliver its findings to Education Minister Mallam Adamu Adamu within three months.
It is also to renegotiate the 2009 Agreements with other University-Based Unions in realistic and workable terms; negotiate and recommend any other issue the Committee deems relevant to repositioning the NUC for global competitiveness; and submit proposed draft agreements within three months of inauguration.
The committee is chaired by Brigs, Pro-Chancellor, Alex Ekweme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Ebonyi.
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