Strike: FG Reassembles Team To Renegotiate ASUU Agreement From 2009

The Federal Government has named Emeritus Professor Nimi Briggs to lead a renegotiation team with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on the 2009 Agreement.

Malam Adamu Adamu, the Minister of Education, announced the committee’s reconstitutions on Thursday in Abuja, as part of the Federal Government’s efforts to get striking University lecturers back to work.

In a statement, Mr Ben. Bem Goong, Director, Press and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Education, quoted the Minister as saying that all outstanding issues in the 2009 agreement must be resolved quickly in order to achieve the desired industrial peace on Nigerian campuses.

The team will be inaugurated by the Minister on Monday, March 7, 2022, in Abuja, he said.

The following are the members of the reconstituted 2009 FGN/University-Based Unions Agreements renegotiation team, according to the statement: Chairman: Prof. Emeritus Nimi Briggs (Provost, Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike Ikwo).

Arc. Lawrence Patrick Ngbale (Pro-Chancellor, Federal University) is one of the other members. Prof. Funmi Togunu-Bickersteth (Pro-Chancellor, Federal University, Birnin Kebbi) -Member (South West) and Sen. Chris Adighije (Pro-Chancellor, Federal University, Birnin Kebbi) -Member (North East). Lokoja is a member of the Lokoja group (South East).

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Prof. Olu Obafemi (Pro-Chancellor, Federal University of Technology, Minna) – member (North-Central); Prof. Zubairu Iliyasu (Pro-Chancellor, Kano State University of Science and Technology) – member (North West); and Barr. Matthew B. Seiyefa, mni (Pro-Chancellor, Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island) – member (North-West) (South-South)

“The inauguration is expected to be attended by all advisers and observers in the Federal Government/University-based Unions 2009 agreements Re-negotiation Team,” Goong said.

On February 14, 2022, ASUU began a one-month strike in protest of the government’s failure to implement the Memorandum of Action it signed with the Union.

ASUU’s demands include adequate funding for public university revitalization, earned academic allowances, Universities Transparency Accountability Solutions (UTAS), promotion arrears, renegotiation of the 2009 ASUU/FG agreement, and inconsistencies in the Integrated Payroll Personnel Information System Payment (IPPIS).