By Ken Chiwendu
The Federal Government will meet with officials of the Academic Staff Union of Universities ASUU, on Monday, the Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman said at a Press conference in Abuja on Friday.
Tahir will also lead the Federal Government’s delegation to the meeting which will also have other relevant stakeholders in attendance.
The meeting followed ASUU ‘s issuance of a 21- day notice of strike to the Federal Government over unresolved agreement prominent among which are emergency revitalisation fund of public universities; payment of outstanding earned academic allowances; and release of withheld salaries, promotion arrears, and third-party deductions of our members.
Others include the stoppage of illegal recruitments; proliferation of public universities/abuse of universities’ laws, regulations and processes; and removal of universities from the treasury single account and new IPPIS vis-a-vis to herald the autonomy of our universities.
But the Minister said most of the issues listed by the University Academic Staff uniion are being looked into.
According to him,letters of invitation have been sent to the ASUU officials and several other organisations that would be relevant in the meeting.
“Most of the issues raised by ASUU are being attended to. For instance, the issue of exit from the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) has since been resolved by the president.
“Bureaucracy is the reason for the delay in the implementation of that directive. But by the time we meet on Monday, some of these issues will be discussed and resolved.”
The minister reiterated President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to academic stability in schools, and would continue to support the sector adding that the era of academic disruption in tertiary institutions is over.
“Most of these demands ASUU started in 1981. Virtually all governments have had their fair share of ASUU strikes. But the president committed during his campaign that a permanent solution would be provided this time, and he has shown that in his steps and actions.”
He, therefore, urged ASUU to be considerate in their actions and be open – minded in approach to enable proper representation of interest of all parties .
