Move to end strike fails as varsity workers walk out of meeting with Nigerian govt

The effort by the Federal Government to end the ongoing strike by the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) ended in a deadlock on Friday after the union’s representatives walked out of a meeting between both parties in Abuja.

NASU embarked on a two-week strike on March 28 over the federal government’s failure to meet its demands.

The union and Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities extended the strike by another two weeks on Thursday.

Friday’s meeting was attended by members of the Renegotiation Committee of the FGN/NASU 2009 Agreement in the Universities and Inter-University Centres.

The NASU’s General Secretary, Prince Peters Adeyemi, confirmed the development in a statement.

The statement read: “NASU Renegotiation Team went to the venue of the meeting at the National Universities Commission, Abuja full of high hopes that this very important renegotiation meeting is a process that will bring peace to the University system.

“Unfortunately, the Federal Government Team of the Renegotiation Committee led by Prof. Nimi Briggs, the Pro-Chancellor of Federal University, Ndufu-Alike, Ikwo, Ebonyi State was not ready for any renegotiation. This was very obvious from the moment the meeting commenced by looking at the first item on the report of the Sub-committee of the Renegotiating Committee.

“The meeting of the FGN/NASU Renegotiation Committee chaired by Dr. Wale Babalakin, SAN, the then Pro-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, held on Friday, 10th August, 2018 set up a Sub-committee comprising members of Government Team and NASU in the Renegotiation Committee to examine the Memorandum of Demand of NASU and identify issues that were contentious, non-contentious and those that required further clarification in order to facilitate the renegotiation of the issues involved.

READ ALSO: NASU blames Nigerian govt for strikes in varsities, polytechnics

“On resumption of the renegotiation today, Friday, 22nd April, 2022, the government side did everything possible to set aside the report of the Sub-committee, which was chaired by Prof. Olufemi Bamiro, with the current Chairman, Prof. Nimi Briggs as a member. The Government side was only ready to enter disagreements on all items on the Union’s MOD as if that was a predetermined position before the meeting.

“It is obvious that the government side of the Renegotiation Committee lacks the capacity to commit their Principals (the Federal Government) on any issue of the negotiation. This we found to be strange and not in line with the principles of collective bargaining.

“It is shocking and surprising to the union that at this time when all hands should be on deck to resolve the lingering crisis in the university system in order to enable our children to return to the classroom, the government side of the renegotiation committee will show non-commitment and nonchalant attitude to the renegotiation, which is aimed at resolving the crisis. We came to the conclusion that the meeting was just window dressing and aimed at playing to the gallery.

“NASU members of the Negotiation Committee, therefore, had no option but to inform the Government side that they have to go back to their Principals, i.e., NASU members in the Universities and Inter-University Centres to inform them of the development and get their directives on further steps to take.”

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