The Nigerian government has replied the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU On threats to embark on fresh nationwide strike.
DAILY GIST recalls that the union had threatened to embark on nationwide strike over failure of the government to appoint Governing Councils for Federal Universities.
President Bola Tinubu shortly after assuming office in June 2023, dissolved the governing councils of the Universities, leaving the running of the institutions to vice chancellors.
ASUU decried the fact that the institutions have been run for almost one year without a governing council, describing it as illegal.
However, the Acting Executive Secretary of National Universities Commission(NUC), Chris Maiyaki, has allayed the fears of the Union, adding that government is working assiduously to ensure that the most qualified people are appointed to the Councils.
He said: “On the issue of the constitution of the Universities governing council, I want to inform this gathering that yes, it appears there is a delay but government at all levels have been working assiduously towards the reconstitution of the governing councils of universities because we attach a lot of importance to the council.
“The mere absence of the governing council has its own consequences. Universities can hardly do much in certain aspects without a properly constituted council. It also means more work for the NUC and the Minister of Education.”
Maiyaki who was speaking during an interactive session with newsmen on key milestones achievement of the Commission in Abuja on Wednesda, disclosed that the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman has already constituted a Local Organising Committee to ensure smooth inauguration of the Councils.
“As part of the grand plan, as soon as they are constituted, they are going to undergo orientation course so that they we will be attuned to the expectation of what modern day council is all about, the knowledge of the governance structure, the law of the universities, the procurement act, issue of financial management and other issues.
“Government is not resting on it oars to reconstitute governing councils of 61 federal universities,” he said
Maiyaki appealed to ASUU to trust the ability of the government and the minister of education to deliver on its promise to reconstitute the governing councils.
On the issue of the Core Curriculum and Minimum Academic Standards (CCMAS), Maiyaki insisted that members of ASUU were involved in the process of the curriculum review.
He called on the Union to join hands with the Commission to move the university system forward as the CCMAS has come to stay.
