Strike: Why FG May Take ASUU To Court, If Reconciliation Fails – Ngige

Posted by Nwa Diokpa Featured, Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria Friday, April 22nd, 2022

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Chris Ngige, minister of labour and employment, has stated that the federal government may take the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to the industrial court if the process to resolve the strike fails.

African Examiner recalls that on February 14, ASUU started a one-month warning strike because of the non-implementation of an agreement reached with the federal government in 202 and on March 14, ASUU extended the strike by eight weeks due to the dissatisfaction with the federal government’s “disappointing” response on the matter.

The federal government and the leadership of ASUU have had lots of meetings but no agreements have been reached so far.

Speaking on Thursday in an interview with Channels Television, Ngige stated that ASUU must desist from “intimidating” officials in the ministry of digital communications and economy and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).

He also stated that the federal government does not have the resources to review the salaries of varsity lecturers by 180 percent as stipulated in a previous proposal submitted when Munzali Jibril, a professor, was leading the renegotiation committee.

“The solution is that number one, ASUU has to come down from its high horse. You cannot go and start intimidating people in NITDA and threatening the minister of digital economy and communications with revocation of his professorship; that he is a fake professor and that they did not approve it,” he said.

“They went to ABU and said they are going to withdraw the certificate of the director of NITDA. That is bullying. It is not allowed in labour negotiations.”

Ngige, also stated that the Nimi Briggs-led renegotiation committee has been given six weeks to submit its report, saying that the six-week period will end on Friday and he will invite parties involved in the matter for a meeting by next week.

Responding to a question if the status quo remains after his intervention, Ngige said the federal government will consider taking the union to the industrial court if reconciliation fails.

“What is happening now is we have given the Nimi Briggs committee six weeks. We are waiting for their report. The minister of education has to transmit it and say this is what we have agreed,” he said.

“He will also transmit to the presidential committee on salaries. The six-week period ends this Friday and I’m calling everybody up by next week.

“The law says we can go to the industrial arbitration panel, which is where I’m supposed to refer this matter to if reconciliation fails, or national industrial court if reconciliation fails.

“It is a double-barrel thing. I will choose the one I want. I will refer. The law says once conciliation has started at my level, you call off the strike.”