The minister of labour and employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, yesterday apoligised to Nigerians for the prolonged strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) which began on February 14, 2023 and lasted for over eight months.
Recall that ASUU had in a release yesterday announced the suspension of the strike and directed its members to resume all services which were withdrawn with effect from October 14, 2022.
However, it said the contentious issues that resulted in the prolonged strike were not well addressed by the federal government
The statement, which was signed by the national president of the union, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, praised the speaker of the house of representatives, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, and other well meaning Nigerians for their interventions.
The statement reads: “The National Executive Council (NEC) of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) held an emergency meeting at the Comrade Festus lyayi National Secretariat, University of Abuja, Abuja, on Thursday, October 13, 2022. The meeting reviewed developments since the union declared an indefinite strike action on August 29, 2022.
“During the intervening period, the minister of labour and employment, through a referral, approached the National Industrial Court (NIC) for the interpretation of “the provision of sections 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 & 18 (1) of the Trade Dispute Act, Cap T Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, whether the on-going prolonged strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, which started since February 14, 2022, is legal even after statutory apprehension by the Minister of Labour and Employment. In addition, he asked for an interlocutory order against the continuation of the strike.
“The National Industrial Court in its wisdom gave an order compelling ASUU to resume work pending the determination of the substantive suit. Given the nature of the order, and in the opinion of our counsel, there was the need to appeal the interlocutory injunction granted against our union at the Court of Appeal. The Court of Appeal acknowledged the validity of the grounds of the union’s appeal, but still upheld the order of the lower court and ordered our union to comply with the ruling of the lower court as condition precedent for the appeal to be heard.
“NEC noted the series of meetings with the leadership of the House of Representatives led by the Hon. Speaker. Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, as well as intervention efforts of other well-meaning Nigerians both within and outside government and the progress made so far.
“NEC deliberated on the recommendations of the Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila-led Committee within the framework of the FGN/ASUU’s Memorandum of Action (MoA) of 2020 on the contending issues that led to the strike action. For the avoidance of doubt, the issues include: funding for revitalisation of public universities, earned academic, allowances proliferation of public universities visitation panels/release of white papers, university transparency and accountability solution (UTAS) as a broad spectrum software to stop illegality and provide for an alternative payment platform in the university system, Renegotiation of the 2009 Agreement.
“While appreciating the commendable efforts of the leadership of the House of Representatives and other patriotic Nigerians who waded into the matter, NEC noted with regrets that the issues in dispute are yet to be satisfactorily addressed.
“However, as a law-abiding union and in deference to appeals by President Muhammadu Buhari, and in recognition of the efforts of Gbajabiamila, and other well-meaning Nigerians, ASUU NEC resolved to suspend the strike action embarked upon on February 14, 2022. Consequently, all members of ASUU are hereby directed to resume all services hitherto withdrawn with effect from 12:01 on Friday, October 14, 2022.”
Reacting to the suspension, Ngige apologised to Nigerians, students and parents for the “unduly prolonged strike.”
He praised the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, the immediate past President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Rev. Supo Ayokunle and all members of the Nigeria Inter Religious Council (NIREC) for their intervention while the industrial dispute lasted.
In a statement signed by the deputy of director press in the ministry, Mr. Olajide Oshundun, the minister said Nigerians the federal government had taken steps to ensure that students would no longer experience intermittent, prolonged industrial actions in future.
“We were forced to migrate the matter to the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) created by the 1999 Constitution as amended, for the settlement of industrial disputes because every channel of negotiation including the tripartite plus, in which eminent Nigerians participated in, failed. We were left with no other option than to trigger Section 17 of the Trade Disputes Act .CAP T8, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 on dispute resolution mechanism in seeking the intervention of the National Industrial Court.
“Now that ASUU has decided to obey the judgment of the National Industrial Court by calling off the devastating action, we apologise to all students and parents, of which the minister is one, for this unduly prolonged strike, which is unwarranted ab initio.
“We wish to assure that with the decision, steps and measures being taken by the current administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, in holistic repositioning of higher education, a groundwork is being laid, of which we are confident, will save Nigerians this unpalatable experience of incessant strike in future,” Ngige said.
He added that with the suspension of the strike, the government hoped that the National Industrial Court would deal with the substantive issues as contained in the referral letter by him.
He noted that “this would ensure that justice is given to all parties including ASUU and their employers – the federal ministry of education who acts on behalf of the federal government.”
