ASUU Strike: Hours After Ordering VCs To Reopen Universities, FG Makes U-turn | See Why

The Federal Government has withdrawn its order to vice-chancellors, pro-chancellors and governing councils to re-open federal universities in the country.

Earlier, the Federal Government had through the National Universities Commission, in a circular tagged NUC/ES/138/Vol.64/135 and addressed to all vice-chancellors; pro-chancellors and chairmen of governing councils of federal universities ordered the reopening of universities.

However in another circular tagged NUC/ES/138/Vol.64/136, which was also signed by the Director, Finance and Account of the NUC, Sam Onazi, the commission withdrew the order, PUNCH.

The circular partly read;

“I have been directed to withdraw the NUC Circular Ref: NUC/ES/138/Vol.64/135, and dated September 23, 2022 on the above subject.

Consequently, the said circular stands withdrawn. All pro-chancellors and chairmen of governing councils, as well as vice-chancellors of federal universities are to please note. Further development and information would be communicated to all relevant stakeholders.

Please accept the assurances of the Executive Secretary’s warmest regards.”

In another report by Vanguard, facts have emerged on why the Government reversed itself on the decision to reopen public universities despite the ongoing strike by members of the ASUU.

Vanguard gathered that pressure from opinion leaders and other stakeholders interested in resolving the face-off between the union and the government led to the government asking that the circular, earlier sent to mandate the reopening of the universities, be withdrawn.

A source said:

“After the circular became public and people started interpreting what the consequences could be, it was agreed that the circular is withdrawn to also allow for more negotiation between the government and the union.”

ASUU’s reaction

Earlier, while reacting to the directive for the universities to be reopened, the National President of ASUU, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, had told Vanguard that the FG was not talking to his members.

According to Osodeke:

“We are not holding the keys to the campuses. We did not shut down any university. Those who shut down the universities are the ones who can decide whether to open them or not.

As for us going back to work, the government is not taking to us. We did not institute the case at the industrial court, some people took us there and we have done the needful of exercising our right to appeal.”

On when the appellate court would hear the matter, Osodeke said no date has been fixed yet.

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ALSO SEE: ASUU Issues Fresh Condition To End Indefinite Strike

Background to strike

ASUU went on strike in March 2020 and only called it off in December of the same year.

The union embarked on another strike since February 14 to press home the demands for improved funding for universities, a review of salaries for lecturers, among other issues. Several meetings between ASUU and the Federal Government had ended in a deadlock.

After the 2020 face-off, a Memorandum of Action was endorsed by both parties are timelines agreed as to meeting some demands, but the government said the paucity of funds hindered it from meeting some of the demands.

The demands of the unions include the alleged inconsistencies in the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System, IPPIS, the non-payment of earned allowances, payment of arrears of the National Minimum wage, the revitalization fund and the release of white papers on the visitation panel reports among others.

While ASUU has developed its preferred payment platform, the University Transparency Accountability Solution, UTAS, the two non-teaching staff unions of SSANU and NASU demanded the replacement of IPPIS with the University Peculiar Personnel Payroll System, U3PS.

The Federal Government through the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, had met with the striking lecturers to resolve the impasse but all to no avail.

This culminated in the evocation of the “No work, no pay” policy by the government and the dragging of the striking workers to the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, NICN.