BY NGOZI NWANKWO, ABUJA
Federal Government through on Wednesday, October 16, 2024 inaugurated the reconstituted Federal Government Renegotiation Committee on the 2009 agreements with university based unions.
Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman while inaugurating the committee on behalf of the Federal Government, said the Committee is expected to review the proposed Agreements with the various University based Unions.
Mamman said part of the Terms of Reference of the Committee is to liaise and consult with relevant stakeholders to guide the position of the Federal Government on the issues in the draft proposed FGN/University; renegotiate in realistic and workable terms, the 2009 Agreement with other University-based Unions, Negotiate and recommend any other issue the Committee deems relevant to reposition the Nigerian University System (NUS) for global competitiveness; and submit proposed draft agreements within three (3) months from the date of inauguration.
The minister urged the committee members to double their effort towards concluding the assignment and producing a realistic and workable Agreements that would holistically tackle the challenges confronting the NUS, and reposition it to effectively play its very important role in national development.
He noted that the re-negotiation of the 2009 Agreements between the Federal Government and the University based staff Unions namely ASUU, NAAT, SSANU, and NASU) commenced on Monday, February 13, 2017 and expressed regrets that this had lingered for this long due to a number of unforeseen circumstances.
In the words of Maman; “It is important to state that the immediate past leadership of the Renegotiation Committee under Professor Nimi Briggs, produced a draft report with significant areas covered, and agreed on what would be a spring board to hinge on going forward to conclude the exercise.
“There is no gain saying that the earnest desire of every stakeholder in the Nigerian University System (NUS) and, indeed, at large, is to conclude this re-negotiation exercise within the shortest possible period,” he said.
The Minister assured the committee of the Federal Government’s support and cooperation in the course of the important national assignment.
It was gathered that the Committee is to be further guided by the Acting Executive Secretary of the NUC, Prof. Chris Maiyaki going forward on matters of the renegotiation exercise.
Responding, the Chairman of the Committee, Mr Yayale Ahmed, said the whole issue since the 2009 agreement that include, the unconcluded Nimi-Brigs agreement and other issues that affected and constrained the performance of the university system were well known over the years.
He said; “Our committee will not be here just to reinvent the wheel. All the documents pertaining to this important issue are available. While some of us were privileged to be active participants over the years, never did I get a message that one day I would come after seven years to relive what we have tried to do over the years”.
Ahmed who is the Chairman of the Committee of Pro-Chancellors, said the task should be based on patriotism and sincerity of purpose.
“You mentioned that the 2009 agreement may not and does not appear to be fully implementable. We would like it reviewed. Therefore, seeking the cooperation of ASUU and other unions to reflect and review as the current circumstances may demand,” he said.
He appealed to the federal and state governments to ensure that universities reflected the kind of authority and honour minimally required to compete internationally.
To ASUU, he said; “I still recall my appeal to you in 1998. I said, can you please initiate and develop an alternative to strikes so that we do not lose the beauty of educating our children, but at the same time we always make our points very clear that the federal government or the state government will know that we are not joking.
“I am appealing to us and all the other unions that are here to learn from you and as messengers of the federal government, take your message and return with positive replies in a very short time,” he said.
Speaking in turn, the President of ASUU, Prof Emmanuel Osodeke expressed the hope that the new committee would not be like all the previous committees which have failed to resolve the issues, saying that they spent over two years talking, with nothing to show for it.
According to him; “We are all already for renegotiation. We will provide all the documents for the committee to look at and if there are issues, we will start from there.
“We love this country and must all ensure that we work together to have it when the children of the President, Senators and Ministers will be in the same classroom with the children of their drivers and farmers as it used to be in the 60s,” he said.
