Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, says the 2009 agreement between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) remains the only binding and signed document regulating relations between the two parties.
The clarification was made in a statement issued on Friday in Abuja by the Director of Press and Public Relations in the ministry, Mrs. Folasade Boriowo.
Boriowo explained that Alausa’s comments during an interaction with journalists on Thursday had been misinterpreted, hence the need to set the record straight.
She recalled that in 2017, the then Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, inaugurated a renegotiation committee to review the 2009 agreement, which later produced the draft Nimi Briggs agreement in May 2021.
“However, it is important to stress that this 2021 draft agreement was not signed by the Federal Government,” she said.
According to her, when the minister stated that there had been “no new signed agreement” with ASUU, he was referring specifically to the 2021 Nimi Briggs draft, which has not been formally executed.
“The ministry therefore reaffirms that the 2009 FGN-ASUU agreement remains the last formally signed agreement. The 2021 draft Nimi Briggs agreement, although unsigned, serves as the latest framework for discussions,” she added.
Boriowo further said the federal government remained committed to resolving the 16-year stalemate with ASUU in a sustainable and constitutionally backed manner, while ensuring universities remained open for teaching and research.
She urged the public and stakeholders to disregard misinterpretations of the minister’s comments, stressing that the government’s commitment to addressing the union’s concerns under the Renewed Hope Agenda remains unwavering.
(NAN)
