By Ngozi Nwankwo
Federal Government through the Ministry of Education has inaugurated the reconstituted federal government Renegotiation Committee on the 2009 agreements with university based unions.
While inaugurating the committee, the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman said the Committee is expected to review the draft proposed Agreements with the various University based Unions.
Mamman outlined the following Terms of Reference to liaise and consult with relevant stakeholders to guide the position of the Federal Government on the issues in the draft proposed FGN/University; renegotiate in realistic and workable terms the 2009 Agreement with other University-based Unions;
Negotiate and recommend any other issue the Committee deems relevant to reposition the NUS for global competitiveness; and submit proposed draft agreements within three (3) months from the date of inauguration.
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He appealed to the team to double their effort towards to conclude the assignment and producing a realistic and workable Agreements that would holistically tackle the challenges confronting the Nigerian University System, NUS, and reposition it to effectively play its very important role in national development.
Mamman recalled that the re-negotiation of the 2009 Agreements between the Federal Government and the University based staff Unions
(ASUU, NAAT, SSANU, and NASU) commenced on Monday, 13th February,
2017.
He however, regretted this had lingered for this long due to a number of unforeseen circumstances.
He said, ” it is important to state that the immediate past leadership of the Renegotiation Committee under Professor Nimi Briggs, produced draft report with significant areas covered, and agreed on that would be a spring board to hinge on going forward to conclude the exercise. There is no gain saying that the earnest desire of every stakeholder in the Nigerian University System (NUS) and, indeed, at large, is to conclude this re-negotiation exercise within the shortest possible period.”
The Minister, therefore assured the committee of the Federal Government’s support and cooperation in the course of the important national assignment.
It is learnt that the Committee is to be further guided by the Ag. Executive Secretary, NUC, Prof. Chris Maiyaki going forward on matters of the renegotiation exercise.
Speaking also, the Chairman of the Committee, Prof Yayale Ahmed, said the whole issue since the 2009 agreement, the unconcluded Nimi-Brigs agreement and other issues that affect and constrain the performance of the university system were well known over the years.
“Our committee will not be here just to reinvent the wheel. All the documents pertaining to this important issue are available. While some of us were privileged to be active participants over the years, never did I get a message that one day I would come after seven years to relive what we have tried to do over the years,” he said.
Prof Ahmed who is the Chairman of the Committee of Pro-Chancellors said
the task should be based on patriotism and sincerity of purpose.
“You mentioned that the 2009 agreement may not and does not appear to be fully
implementable. We would like it reviewed. Therefore, seeking the cooperation of ASUU and other unions to reflect and review as the current circumstances may demand,” he said.
He appealed to the federal ans state governments to ensure that universities reflected the kind of authority and honour minimally required to compete internationally.
To ASUU, he said “I still recall my appeal to you in 1998. I said, can you please initiate and develop an alternative to strikes so that we do not lose the beauty of educating our children, but at the same time we always make our points very clear that the federal government or the state government will know that we are not joking.
“I am appealing to us and all the other unions that we are here to learn from you and as messengers of the federal government, take your message and return with positive replies in a very short time.”
In his remarks, the President of ASUU, Prof Emmanuel Osodeke prayed that the new committee should not be like all the previous committees which have failed to resolve all the issues.
He said they spent over two years talking, with nothing to show for it.
“We are all already for renegotiation.
We will provide all the documents for the committee to look at it and if there are issues we will start from there.
“We love this country and must all ensure that we work together to have it when the children of the President, Senators and Ministers will be in the same classroom with the children of their drivers and farmers as it used to be in the 60s,” he said.