MINISTER of Education, Adamu Adamu on Wednesday said that the Federal Government has let down the striking members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) by failing to fulfill its obligations to the union.
Briefing State House correspondents on the outcome of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Wednesday, he however said government was sad because the union did not adhere to due process in declaring its current strike action which began on Monday.
But he said government would be meeting the union, hopeful that the lecturers would soon return to class.
Adamu was adamant that government cannot allow the university system to operate outside the Treasury Single Account (TSA) as being demanded by ASUU but would exempt some aspects such as endowment funds from TSA.
He added: “Very sad that I am here and ASUU is on strike.
“Late last year we had a meeting because ASUU gave one week notice of strike and we were able to work out some agreement.
“I must confess government has not fulfilled its part of the bargain.
“Even though we are unhappy that ASUU went on this strike without following due process and giving us good notice, we realised that we promised something and we didn’t fulfill it.
“I hope I will be meeting them later today or tomorrow and I am sure we will be able to reach some agreement so that the strike will be called off as soon as possible.
“I’m sure you are aware of the issues we agreed on. There is the issue of re-negotiation which is the only one they agreed.
“Government has done what it promised because. We set up the re-negotiation team and negotiation is already ongoing.
“There is the issue of Earned Allowances and I think because of some miscommunication, what we promised could not be done, but am assuring ASUU and the whole nation that this is going to be done.
“There is the issue of registration for Nigerian Universities Pension Commission. I think that one, there are few issues that need to be sorted out with the Nigerian Pension Commission.
“I believe there will be no problem with that.
“The issue of their staff school which I think the court has given them verdict to go ahead with it.
“They have requested that they should be allowed to stay off TSA and I think government will not do this but there are some peculiar funds in the university like endowments which are monies kept and all the interest they generate, prices and so on are given.
“Government will exempt that one only. But universities, it is part of the peculiarities. They just must log on.
“I hope later on when I meet them today there will be total agreement.”
The minister maintained his support for ASUU’s strike action as a necessary tool to pressure government to do the right thing, a position he canvassed before being appointed as a minister.
Asked to reconcile the statement he made during the last dispensation about ASUU strike, that is, ‘So, instead of hectoring ASUU to call of its strike, the nation should be praying for more of its kind in other sectors of the economy,’ the minister said that was still his position.
He said if ASUU had not forced former President Goodluck Jonathan, he would not have created the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), without which he said, the university system would have collapsed.
The minister emphasised: “That is still my view. I believe ASUU is composed of patriotic people, very responsible.
“If I can look at what their struggle is, they forced the then government to create TETFund and today, without TETFund, the university system would have collapsed.
“I’m not supporting ASUU, I’m supporting what is good. If it is something bad, I will condemn it,” Adamu said.
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