The Joint Action Committee of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities and Allied Institutions (NASU) has issued a strong denunciation of the Federal Government’s establishment of a renegotiation committee.
Inaugurated on Tuesday in Abuja, this committee is charged with renegotiating the 2009 agreements between the government and unions associated with universities.
In a joint statement by SSANU President Muhammed Ibrahim and NASU President Peters Adeyemi, the unions labeled the event as a “charade,” alleging that the government is favoring the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) while neglecting other unions.
The Federal Government has reformed the renegotiation committee and set a three-month deadline for it to complete its work.
However, SSANU and NASU voiced their discontent, arguing that the inauguration appeared biased towards ASUU.
“The entire inauguration seemed to center on ASUU, with the other unions treated as an afterthought,” the statement noted. “The Honourable Minister of Education’s address focused almost exclusively on ASUU, with scant mention of the other unions.”
This marks the fourth renegotiation committee established by the government since 2017, following previous committees led by Wale Babalakin (2017), Munzali Jubril (2020), and Nimi Briggs (2022).
In 2020, ASUU went on a nine-month strike, resulting in the formation of the Jubril committee. Recommendations from this committee laid the groundwork for a draft agreement in 2021. The Nimi Briggs committee submitted another draft in 2022, but negotiations have yet to produce enduring results.
The unions expressed their frustration with the perceived favoritism displayed during the inauguration. They pointed out that the ASUU President was given a prominent position, while leaders of other unions were relegated to minor roles.
“The President of ASUU was seated at the so-called ‘Responsibility table,’ while NASU and SSANU leaders were left as mere spectators, indicating a clear imbalance in the process,” the statement added.
SSANU and NASU raised concerns that the renegotiation might disproportionately benefit academic staff to the detriment of non-teaching personnel.
In light of what they termed a “humiliating” experience, the unions criticized the Federal Government for its apparent bias.
“The President of ASUU was allowed to represent all unions without prior consultation, further underscoring the disregard for the perspectives of other unions,” the statement continued.
In conclusion, the unions condemned the process and expressed serious apprehension over potential partiality in the upcoming negotiations.
“We reject the charade that occurred in the name of an inauguration, as it signals a clear bias towards academic staff and undermines the rights of non-teaching workers,” the statement concluded.
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