The House of Representatives has resolved to
intervene in the ongoing strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities
(ASUU) in a bid to end the lingering dispute between the union and the
Federal Government.
This followed a motion raised by Sesi Whingan,
lawmaker representing Badagry Federal Constituency under the All
Progressives Congress (APC), during Tuesday’s plenary session.
The intervention by the House leadership is aimed at
providing a lasting solution to the long-standing disagreements between
ASUU and the government.
ASUU on Monday commenced a two-week warning
strike after the expiration of a 14-day ultimatum issued to the
Federal Government to address its unresolved demands. The ongoing action marks
the first nationwide strike by the union in nearly three years.
The lecturers’ union has been at loggerheads with the
government over issues relating to its conditions of service and funding
of public universities, as outlined in the 2009 FGN-ASUU agreement.
Among ASUU’s key demands are:
The renegotiation of the 2009 agreement has
remained stalled since 2017, despite the inauguration of at least six
committees by successive governments.
The most recent effort was led by the Yayale Ahmed
Committee, which was inaugurated in October 2024 and submitted its
report in December 2024. According to ASUU President, Chris Piwuna,
the Minister of Education only acknowledged receiving the report in February
2025.
In response to the strike, the Minister of
Education reportedly directed university vice-chancellors to implement
the “No Work, No Pay” policy, warning that lecturers who stayed away from
duty would not be paid.
The ongoing industrial action has already disrupted
examinations and academic activities in several universities across the
country.
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