ASUU strike: Hope rises as FG sets up c’ttee on lecturers’ demands

The Federal Government has again set up a 14-man committee to look into the grey areas of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) demands.

Ben Goong, the spokesperson of the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu made this known at a press conference at the end of the meeting between the Federal Government, Vice Chancellors, and Pro-Chancellors of public universities in Abuja on Tuesday.

Members of the committee are Prof. Nimmi Briggs, Chairman, ASUU/FG negotiation team, Prof. Olu Obafemi, Chairman, Governing Council, Federal University, Minna, and Udo Udoma, former Minister of Budget and National Planning.

Others include an elder statesman, Prof.  Bashir Dalhatu; the Vice Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Prof.  Bashir Dalhatu; the Vice Chancellor of University of Ibadan, Prof. Kayode Adebowale; and the Vice Chancellor of University of Benin, Prof. Lilian Salami.

Others are the President, Academics of letters, Prof. Duro Oni;  President, Academics of Medicine and the President of Academic of Science, Prof. Akinsanya Osibogun.

Others include the Vice Chancellor of University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Prof. Charles Igwe; JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede; and the Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Abubakar Rasheed.

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“After enormous two-hour deliberations, the meeting constituted a committee made up of four Pro-Chancellors, five Vice Chancellors, and others, to be chaired by the minister of education to further look at the grey areas ASUU is demanding, particularly the areas where there has been no consensus.

“As I speak to you, that committee is meeting and they will proceed to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari on the outcome of the deliberations of that committee.

“Two basic areas that the committee will be looking at is the ‘no work no pay’ issue and the issue of remuneration of university lecturers,” Goong said.

On the demand of ASUU to use the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS), Goong said it was not part of the areas under consideration as government had already set up a committee to fine-tune the two payment platforms including the existing IPPIS.

He stated that in a few days’ time, the committee would conclude and thereafter meet President Muhammad Buhari.

On if the earlier Nimi Briggs committee would be jettisoned in place of the new committee, Goong said the new committee was in continuation of the Briggs committee.

“The meeting is on government side. There have been appeals for the government to take a second look at the ‘no work, no pay’ measure and that is one of the issues that the committee will look at,” he said.

The Star