President Bola Tinubu has directed that all unions in the nation’s tertiary institutions be engaged under a single negotiation framework to resolve lingering disputes and prevent industrial action.
Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, disclosed this in Abuja while addressing concerns over strike notices and protests by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU), and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Polytechnics (SSANIP).
Alausa said the new approach was aimed at eliminating the culture of parallel negotiations that previously created disjointed agreements and frequent breakdowns.
“Whatever we do, we have to do it holistically in a way that accommodates the interests of ASUU, ASUP, COEASU and SSANIP. They are all in the academic sector and they all ask for the same things – needs assessment, conditions of service and wage balance. We want to resolve these issues once and for all,” the minister said.
He revealed that the Yayale Ahmed committee had been expanded to include all unions, ensuring that engagements would be coordinated through a central platform.
The minister stressed that government was committed to keeping students in school and would not sign “bogus agreements” that were not sustainable.
“We know they need more funding, but government also has other competing priorities. This is why we are handling the process collectively, truthfully, and in a manner that keeps our children in school,” he said.
Alausa appealed to the unions to exercise patience while negotiations progress, assuring that the administration had already addressed some low-hanging demands and was working on others.
He emphasised that President Tinubu had given him a clear mandate to resolve the long-standing disputes with tertiary unions in a transparent and lasting manner.
“This is a government that believes in communication, and we are communicating with them. Since I became minister, I have met with the academic unions more than any other group. They should give us time to resolve this problem once and for all,” Alausa added.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that ASUP recently issued a 21-day ultimatum after its National Executive Council meeting in Abuja, while SSANIP also declared a strike notice at its General Executive Council in Kano.
ASUU had earlier staged a nationwide protest on Aug. 26, while COEASU had equally raised concerns over unmet demands.
The unions’ grievances range from wage adjustments and revitalisation funding to implementation of past agreements and release of arrears.
Alausa, however, assured that the administration was committed to addressing these demands in an inclusive manner that covers all tertiary institutions.
