Following the lingering industrial action by the Academic Staff Union of the Nigerian Universities, ASUU, President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, to hand off negotiations. ASUU has consistently blamed Mr. Ngige for constituting a clog in the wheel of the progress of the negotiation towards addressing the crisis. Minister for Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu received the matching order against Mr. Ngige from Buhari to ensure that the negotiation with the academician has a headway.
Ngige’s role will be limited only to a conciliator when it is necessary and required.
Buhari met with some Ministers and heads of government agencies during the negotiation at the state House yesterday.
He directed that the Minister of Education should henceforth be in charge of the negotiation with the academia that may lead to a conclusive agreement.
Adamu Adamu also received a directive to meet with the salaries and Wages Commission to work out details of the striking academicians with immediate effect.
ASUU has Okayed the 100% pay increment as proposed by the federal government, although the government was yet to contact the union on the proposed pay.
It was learned that the federal government has proposed a 100% pay raise to the striking ASUU members with the hope they will accept the offer.
In a related development, the Universities may also get over N320billion revitalization fund out of the outstanding N1.3trillion as negotiated by the last administration of President Jonathan.
A source disclosed that “Before the session, the President had received from Adamu the report of the Federal Renegotiation Team and ASUU, which contained some vital recommendations to resolve the six-month industrial action.
He added that “Having reviewed the efforts made by the two ministers and all agencies, Buhari said the talks should now be handled by the Minister of Education, who raised Prof. Nimi Briggs 2009 FG-ASUU Agreement Renegotiation Team.
“The final stage of the pact with ASUU will now be domiciled in the Ministry of Education.
“But the Minister of Labour will now serve as a conciliator between the two parties if there are issues.
“Buhari put a warning that the terms of the agreement between the Federal Government and ASUU must be completed within two to three weeks so that universities can reopen.”
In the interim, “The government, through the Federal Ministry of Education, asked the National Universities Commission (NUC) to do a comparison of the salary scale of Professors in some African countries, the sources explained.
Meanwhile, “Some of the monthly pay highlights of a professor in some of the African countries were as follows: South Africa ($5,200) for a Professor; Rwanda ($2,900); Uganda/Ghana ($1,000); Kenya ($2,000); Nigeria ($690).
“The government has accepted to increase the pay of a varsity professor to $1,300 per month.
The Wages and Salaries Commission, the Federal Ministry of Education, and the Minister are currently working out the differences and soon the industrial action will be over.