The Federal Government yesterday constituted another 14-member committee to review the recommendations of the Prof. Nimi Briggs-led renegotiation committee on the 2009 FGN/ASUU agreement.
The committee is also to look into the issue of withheld salaries of the striking Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) as a result of the Government’s “no work, no-pay” policy.
The committee, which is chaired by the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, is also to review other outstanding issues including the proposed salary increase for university lecturers and come up with workable solutions.
Aside from Adamu and Briggs, other members include Udo Udoma, Bashir Dalhatu, Professors Olu Obafemi; Kayode Adebowale, (University of Ibadan); Kabir Bala (Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria); Lilian Salami (University of Benin); Charles Igwe (University of Nigeria, Nsukka).
Also on the team are the Registrar, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede; and a representative each from the Academy of Letters, Science, Medicine and social sciences.
The committee is also to review other outstanding issues including the proposed salary increase for university lecturers and come up with workable solutions.
Adamu, who spoke through the Director, Press and Public Relations, Ben Bem Goong, after the meeting with the Pro-chancellors and Vice-Chancellors of Federal Universities held at the National Universities Commission (NUC), said the committee’s report will be presented to President Muhammadu Buhari in no distant time for action.
One of the key issues why ASUU extended the over six months rollover strike to indefinite strike action was the disagreement over the percentage of salary increase for the lecturers and the refusal to pay them the backlog of salary arrears withheld during the strike period.
Adamu had earlier said the government had offered a 23.5% increase for all workers in the university system and 35% for professors, as it can afford, which was rejected by all the unions.
