FG, ASUU reaches ‘concrete proposals’ on varsity crisis

Published by ECHEKWU SUNDAY
ON MARCH 18, 20209:06 AMIN NEWS
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) said on Wednesday it has reached concrete proposals with the Federal Government on the crisis in the university system.

The ASUU President, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, disclosed this in Abuja while addressing journalists at the end of a closed-door reconciliatory meeting at the Ministry of Labour and Employment in Abuja.

The meeting which began by 3:00 p.m. ended late on Tuesday night

ASUU embarked on the warning strike on March 9 over a disagreement with the federal government on the revitalization of universities, earned academic allowance, visitation panel, mainstreaming and most importantly Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).

Ogunyemi said ASUU would not make any pronouncement on the matter until the union leadership presents the new government proposals to its members.

He said: “We had some fruitful discussions and we have improved on where we were last time. We have what we can call concrete proposals and we have what we can take back to our members.

“But as we usually say, those of us here cannot give the final pronouncements on any of the proposals and we have assured the government that we will report faithfully to our principals and get back to government accordingly.

“We want to assure all Nigerians that we are concern about going back to our work like every other person because we know that is where we find happiness. We are not happy outside our classrooms, our laboratories, and our libraries.

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“If academics do not defend the universities who will defend the academics.”

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, said both parties had fruitful deliberations on contentious issues, especially the issue of IPPIS.

He said: “The meeting was longer than anticipated because we had to look at all the issues that were in our 2019 Memorandum of Actions, especially those that had not been fully addressed. We made a new proposal on behalf of FG to ASUU.

“These issues range from funding, revitalization of public universities, earned academic allowances, salary shortfalls in the Federal University of Akure and the issue of state universities.

“We also addressed payment of earned academic allowances to the University of Ilorin.

“On the Nigerian University Pension Commission, a certificate was issued last year but operational certificate had not been issued because we do not have a permanent PENCOM board in place.

“We have made a proposal on how NUPENCO board will be able to fulfill its obligation, especially in terms of preparation of annual audit reports.

“The issue of visitation panel to the universities has been on the table since last year. The Government side made progress and that approval has been gotten, and we are waiting for the gazette of the membership of the visitation panel.”  (NAN).