ASUU vs FG: September 6 Meeting to Determine Fate of Public Universities

The Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) have scheduled a follow-up meeting for September 6, 2024, as announced by the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman. The announcement was made after a meeting with ASUU leadership on Wednesday at the Federal Ministry of Education in Abuja.

This meeting follows the resolutions reached at ASUU’s National Executive Council meeting held at the University of Ibadan on August 19, 2024, where public university lecturers threatened a nationwide strike due to the Federal Government’s failure to honor the 2009 renegotiated agreement. ASUU’s key demands include improvements in lecturers’ welfare, increased university funding, and a halt to the unchecked proliferation of new universities across the country.

In response to ASUU’s ultimatum, Prof. Mamman acknowledged that many of the contentious issues have roots dating back as far as 1981. He indicated that invitations had been extended to the leadership of ASUU and other relevant organizations, and reassured that their grievances are being addressed. Specifically, he mentioned that the issue of ASUU’s exit from the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) had been resolved by the President, but that bureaucratic delays were holding back implementation.

“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 delay in the implementation of that directive. But by the time we meet on Monday, some of these issues would be discussed and resolved,” Prof. Mamman stated.

He further noted, “Virtually every government since 1981 has dealt with ASUU strikes. However, the President has committed to providing a permanent solution during his tenure, as evidenced by his recent steps and actions.”

Prof. Mamman appealed to ASUU to approach the negotiation table with consideration and open-mindedness, emphasizing that the interests of all parties, including the academic community and the government, need to be represented fairly to reach a lasting resolution.