FOUR days after the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) threatened to embark on a nationwide strike, President Bola Tinubu approved the appointments of members of governing boards for tertiary institutions.
No fewer than 555 people were appointed by the president to serve as pro-chancellors, chairmen and members of governing boards of 111 federal universities, polytechnics and Colleges of Education.
The ICIR reported that union president Emmanuel Osodeke, at a press conference held at the ASUU national secretariat in Abuja, charged the government to act within two weeks to address all outstanding demands, including constituting a governing council for the universities.
In June 2023, the National Universities Commission (NUC) dissolved the governing councils of all federal universities after a directive from the president. But, ASUU condemned this dissolution, arguing that it is illegal and has paved the way for various illegalities in the Nigerian university system.
The union also objected to the recent salary increments of 35 per cent for professors and 25 per cent for other academics as it defers the negotiation made in 2009 and a renegotiated agreement in 2017.
It also expressed displeasure over the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System platform saying that it is a fraudulent one that inflicted unprecedented hardship on Nigerian academics.
Other concerns raised by ASUU incude: the proliferation of public universities, the non-payment of arrears of earned academic allowances and non-release of owed salaries, “creeping fascism” in some Nigerian universities and core curriculum minimum educational standard.
However, the president’s recent approval is one of the many demands listed by ASUU.
According to an advertorial by the Education Ministry signed by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Esther Walson-Jack, the inauguration and retreat for the Governing Councils will take place on Thursday, May 30 and Friday, May 31, 2024, at the National Universities Commission, 26 Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja. Both events will commence at 9:00 am.
The ICIR reported that the union went on strike five times in five years under Buhari.
Kehinde Ogunyale tells stories by using data to hold power into account. You can send him a mail at jameskennyogunyale@gmail or Twitter: Prof_KennyJames | LinkedIn: Kehinde Ogunyale