- Safiu Kehinde
The Federal Government has clarified its claim of having no new agreement with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
NPO Reported that the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, had on Thursday, while addressing newsmen, declared that there is no binding agreement between the FG and ASUU.
The Minister maintained that contrary to the impression by some Nigerians, government had never signed any binding agreement with ASUU, describing the document as a draft.
His statement appeared to have created an impression that the 2009 agreement with ASUU have long been agitating for were never signed.
Correcting the impression in a statement issued on Friday by its Director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade, the eduction ministry maintained that the 2009 agreement remains the most recent signed and binding agreement between the FG and ASUU.
The ministry explained that the draft mentioned by Alausa was in reference to the Nimi Briggs Agreement produced in May 2021 by the renegotiation committee set up to review the 2009 agreement.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the FGN-ASUU Agreement was last signed in 2009. That agreement remains the most recent signed and binding agreement between the Federal Government and ASUU.
“Subsequently, in 2017, the then Honourable Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, inaugurated a renegotiation committee to review the 2009 agreement. The outcome of that process was the draft Nimi Briggs Agreement produced in May 2021.
“However, it is important to stress that this 2021 draft agreement was not signed by the Federal Government.
When the Honourable Minister stated yesterday that there had been “no new signed agreement” with ASUU, he was referring specifically to the 2021 draft Nimi Briggs document, which has not been formally executed.” The statement partly read.
The ministry reiterated that the 2009 FGN-ASUU agreement remains the last formally signed agreement as the Nimi Briggs draft was never signed.
It however reaffirmed its commitment to providing lasting and sustainable solution to the lingering crisis.
“The Ministry therefore reaffirms that, the 2009 FGN-ASUU Agreement remains the last formally signed agreement, The 2021 Nimi Briggs draft agreement was not signed but serves as the latest framework for discussions.
“The Federal Government remains committed to ending the 16year stalemate with ASUU in a sustainable and constitutionally backed manner, ensuring our universities remain open for teaching and research.
“The Ministry of Education urges the public and all stakeholders to disregard any misinterpretations and to note that the Federal Government’s commitment to resolving issues with ASUU remains firm under the Renewed Hope Agenda.” The statement read further.