President Academic staff Union Ukachukwu Awuzie
month old strike, following
agreements reached with
the Federal Government
over their demands.
Lecturers would resume
work starting from today,
president of the Academic
Staff Union of Universities
Ukachukwu Awuzie told
journalists in Abuja after a
meeting of the union’s
national executive.
ASUU had been on strike
since December 4 over
disagreements with the
Federal Government
regarding improved funding
of universities and better
welfare for lecturers.
Awuzie said the decision to
suspend the strike was
taken after the union
collated advice and
deliberated extensively on
same from members across
the country.
He said the union’s
executive met in Abuja
yesterday where they
discussed the demands that
led to the strike and the
actions taken by
government so far, and
they decided to suspend the
industrial action.
Among the demands, he
said, were “funding
requirements for revitalising
the
Nigerian universities,
Federal Government
assistance to state
universities, progressive
increase of annual
budgetary allocation to
education to 26% between
2009 and 2020, earned
allowances, amendment of
the pension/retirement age
of academics on the
professorial cadre from 65
to 70 years and the
establishment of the pension
fund administrator.”
Other demands were
“reinstatement of
prematurely dissolved
governing councils, transfer
of Federal Government
landed property to
universities, setting up of
research and development
units by companies
operating in Nigeria and
teaching and research
equipment provision to our
laboratories and
classrooms.”
He said during the period of
the strike, government and
ASUU engaged in series of
dialogue and discussions
aimed at addressing these
issues.
As a result of these
discussions, he said,
government communicated to
ASUU
its position vide a
letter dated January 24.
With regards to funding, he
said “government reaffirms
its commitment to the
revitalisation of Nigerian
universities through
budgetary and non-
budgetary sources of funds.
Government will immediately
stimulate the process with
the sum of N100 billion and
will build this up to a yearly
sum of N400 billion in the
next three years.”
Awuzie, who was flanked by
executives of the union,
said the interventions will
be based on prioritised
needs.
Also to be captured by the
special intervention is a
progressive increase of
annual budgetary allocation
to education to 26% between
2009 and 2020 and the
acceptance in principle by
government to pay earned
academic allowances. ASUU
said there was an
implementation monitoring
committee that will propose
practical and sustainable
ways of paying the
allowances which will
produce a report in 60 days.
Part of the agreement also
says government would
direct universities to
support internal staff
development of all those not
covered under the Tertiary
Education Trust Fund
intervention.
On the amendment of the
pension and retirement age
of academics on the
professorial cadre from 65
to 70 years, Awuzie said as
soon as the legislative
procedures for the bill were
concluded, President
Jonathan would assent to it
not later than the end of
this month.
On the establishment of a
pension fund administrator,
“government directed the
IMC to take all necessary
steps to register NUPEMCO
within three months. Where
the IMC has difficulties, it
should refer the matter to
the government for
necessary action,” he said.
With regards to the transfer
of
landed property to the
universities, he said
“universities shall form a
University Property Holding
Company which shall, among
other things, participate in
the acquisition, management
and concession of
government properties.”
Awuzie said that
government undertook to
reinstate the governing
councils of various
universities on or before
February 12, but may make
changes in external
membership where it deemed
necessary
and that the
tenure of the councils
reinstated would end in
February 2013 because
they were set up in 2009 for
a four-year term.
“In order to ensure
effective overall monitoring
of the implementation of the
FGN/ASUU agreement,
government shall meet with
the expanded IMC on
quarterly basis to assess
progress,” he said
month old strike, following
agreements reached with
the Federal Government
over their demands.
Lecturers would resume
work starting from today,
president of the Academic
Staff Union of Universities
Ukachukwu Awuzie told
journalists in Abuja after a
meeting of the union’s
national executive.
ASUU had been on strike
since December 4 over
disagreements with the
Federal Government
regarding improved funding
of universities and better
welfare for lecturers.
Awuzie said the decision to
suspend the strike was
taken after the union
collated advice and
deliberated extensively on
same from members across
the country.
He said the union’s
executive met in Abuja
yesterday where they
discussed the demands that
led to the strike and the
actions taken by
government so far, and
they decided to suspend the
industrial action.
Among the demands, he
said, were “funding
requirements for revitalising
the
Nigerian universities,
Federal Government
assistance to state
universities, progressive
increase of annual
budgetary allocation to
education to 26% between
2009 and 2020, earned
allowances, amendment of
the pension/retirement age
of academics on the
professorial cadre from 65
to 70 years and the
establishment of the pension
fund administrator.”
Other demands were
“reinstatement of
prematurely dissolved
governing councils, transfer
of Federal Government
landed property to
universities, setting up of
research and development
units by companies
operating in Nigeria and
teaching and research
equipment provision to our
laboratories and
classrooms.”
He said during the period of
the strike, government and
ASUU engaged in series of
dialogue and discussions
aimed at addressing these
issues.
As a result of these
discussions, he said,
government communicated to
ASUU
its position vide a
letter dated January 24.
With regards to funding, he
said “government reaffirms
its commitment to the
revitalisation of Nigerian
universities through
budgetary and non-
budgetary sources of funds.
Government will immediately
stimulate the process with
the sum of N100 billion and
will build this up to a yearly
sum of N400 billion in the
next three years.”
Awuzie, who was flanked by
executives of the union,
said the interventions will
be based on prioritised
needs.
Also to be captured by the
special intervention is a
progressive increase of
annual budgetary allocation
to education to 26% between
2009 and 2020 and the
acceptance in principle by
government to pay earned
academic allowances. ASUU
said there was an
implementation monitoring
committee that will propose
practical and sustainable
ways of paying the
allowances which will
produce a report in 60 days.
Part of the agreement also
says government would
direct universities to
support internal staff
development of all those not
covered under the Tertiary
Education Trust Fund
intervention.
On the amendment of the
pension and retirement age
of academics on the
professorial cadre from 65
to 70 years, Awuzie said as
soon as the legislative
procedures for the bill were
concluded, President
Jonathan would assent to it
not later than the end of
this month.
On the establishment of a
pension fund administrator,
“government directed the
IMC to take all necessary
steps to register NUPEMCO
within three months. Where
the IMC has difficulties, it
should refer the matter to
the government for
necessary action,” he said.
With regards to the transfer
of
landed property to the
universities, he said
“universities shall form a
University Property Holding
Company which shall, among
other things, participate in
the acquisition, management
and concession of
government properties.”
Awuzie said that
government undertook to
reinstate the governing
councils of various
universities on or before
February 12, but may make
changes in external
membership where it deemed
necessary
and that the
tenure of the councils
reinstated would end in
February 2013 because
they were set up in 2009 for
a four-year term.
“In order to ensure
effective overall monitoring
of the implementation of the
FGN/ASUU agreement,
government shall meet with
the expanded IMC on
quarterly basis to assess
progress,” he said
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