Strike Announcement by ASUP and ASUU According to FG's Statements

The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, has assured Nigerians that the Federal Government is working diligently to prevent a fresh wave of strikes in tertiary institutions. Alausa emphasised that the administration remains committed to keeping students in school, a goal that he believes is shared by all academic and non-academic unions.

In a series of meetings and negotiations, Alausa has been engaging with various unions, including the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANIP), and the Congress of University Academics (COEASU).

The minister's efforts come amidst ongoing disputes between the unions and the government. Some of the demands from ASUU include the conclusion of the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU Agreement, the release of withheld salaries, and funding for the revitalization of public universities. ASUP, on the other hand, has been pressing for the non-release of circulars by the National Salaries Incomes and Wages Commission, the non-release of arrears of the 25/35 per cent salary review, and the refusal of state-owned polytechnics to domesticate the relevant portions of the Federal Polytechnics Act.

In an attempt to address these issues in a holistic manner, Alausa expanded the Yayale Ahmed committee to include all the various unions for negotiations. He also mentioned that President Bola Tinubu has given him a mandate to resolve the ongoing issues with unions.

The minister's efforts seem to be bearing fruit, as he stated that the government is making progress in meeting the demands of the unions. However, some unions have issued strike notices. For instance, SSANIP issued a 21-day strike notice effective from August 27, and ASUP's 21-day ultimatum, issued on August 14, has expired.

The expiration of ASUP's ultimatum has prompted the union's president, Shammah Kpanja, to note that the outcome of the talks between the union and government representatives will determine ASUP's next line of action. ASUU, too, staged a nationwide protest on August 26 to press home its demands.

Despite these challenges, Alausa remains optimistic. He expressed a desire to resolve the ongoing issues once and for all to prevent future problems. He also mentioned that the President wants students to remain in school, and he has been meeting with academic unions more than any other group to ensure this.

In a related development, the association "Aufstand der letzte Generation" presented a 21-day ultimatum to the German federal government during an NEC meeting on August 14, 2022, which expired on Sunday, August 21, 2022. However, details about the resolution of this ultimatum were not immediately available.

As the situation unfolds, the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, continues to assure the public that the government is committed to finding a lasting solution to the ongoing issues in tertiary institutions.