On Monday 7th March 2022, the Federal Government inaugurated a seven-member panel that was saddled with the task of renegotiating the 2009 Agreement it had reached with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and other university-based unions as a way of resolving the strike action which the unions embarked on.
The Vanguard reported that the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, who inaugurated the committee in Abuja, tasked the committee to submit proposed agreements within three months from the date of inauguration. The committee, chaired by the Pro-Chancellor of Alex Ekweme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike, Emeritus Professor Nimi Briggs, has been in a series of meetings with the various unions since May 2022.
Today marks the end of the 3-month renegotiation period given to the committee. It is expected that the committee presents its report to the Federal Government within the week.
Amidst rumours of the ongoing strike ending soon, there is still no official statement from ASUU. However, reports from AIT state that ASUU admitted that the meeting with the Federal government’s 2009 Agreements renegotiation team led by Professor Nimi Briggs has so far been fruitful and that the association would brief the media this week.
Onyinyechi Osisiogu
