Nigerians are becoming hopeless on daily basis as far as the possibility of early resolution of the conflict between lecturers and government for students in public universities to resume their academic programs are concerned.
More worrisome are discordant tones coming from the ministry officials, who are either contradicting themselves in one breadth or accusing others in another breadth.
At the early stage of last year's strike, it was both the labour and employment and finance and budget planning that were visible.
Even, the main education ministry that is supposed to be the main rallying organ is not living up to the expectations of most Nigerians.
Even, between the two ministers, the desired synergy seems lacking.
It is either one is displaying anger or venting it on the embattled students or accusing either the immediate past government for their inability to honour their contractual agreements or blaming the Academic Staff Union of Universities, (ASUU) officials for being 'wicked and unsympathetic' to the plight of the students.
Minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba, in a recent interview took a swipe at the Joint Action Committee of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Education and Associated Institutions for also going on strike. He equally put the whole blame on the insensitivity of lecturers, whom he also are not reasonable on their demands on government, considering the prevailing economic circumstances typified by dwindling fortunes of the economy. Among others, JAC is demanding payment of earned allowances. It also faulted the usurpation of non-academic career positions by vice-chancellors.
Also, in what appears like the Pontius Pilate style, Chris Ngige advised ASUU to picket Federal Ministry of Education for their demands to be met
Labour and Employment Minister, Ngige, in a statement released from his office advised ASUU to picket the Federal Ministry of Education than embarking on strike, for their demands to be met.
In his words: “I am not the Minister of Education. I cannot go to the Education Minister and dictate to him how to run his place. But I told ASUU that they should be bombarding the Federal Ministry of Education for this to be moved forward.
Ngigie, who sees his role as only the chief conciliator, further said:
“There are many ways to do so. If you go to the Labour Act, there is something called picketing. You can picket. A strike is an ultimate thing. Picketing means that you can stay in the corridor, clapping or singing. Workers are permitted to do so. But I am tired that every time there is a disagreement, it is a strike.
“And the bosses in the Federal Ministry of Education don’t feel the strike. It is the children and some of us, as parents that have our children in public schools.”
The minister gave this advice in a statement on Monday, in Abuja, by the Head of Press and Public Relations, Patience Onuobia, after a meeting with members of the government’s team on the 2009 Federal Government/University-based Unions’ Agreement Renegotiation Committee, led by its Chairman, Prof. Nimi Briggs.
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The statement in parts read: “I started pushing to see that things were done. What the Munzali Committee came up with is a proposal. Both Munzali and ASUU did not sign. At our last meeting in February, before ASUU proceeded on strike, we said everyone should go back to his principal.
“I asked the Education Minister several times what they had done with the document. We later got information on areas of disagreement. There is nothing wrong with that. It is bound to happen. I told ASUU to put up a committee; they said the Munzali Committee had expired.
“As a conciliator, I have to make use of the labour instruments at my disposal. The bosses in the Federal Ministry of Education do not feel the strike. There are things that are above me.”
The minister said the Federal Government remained committed to the renegotiation of the conditions of service for all workers in public universities across the country.
Friday Ameh, Lagos based energy analyst says the "commitment of the federal government is yet to be seen or felt, or else, how do you justify ASUU's incessant strikes running into years now. "
Another analyst, who pleaded for anonymity says, "who is really in charge of the ministry of education... and which ministry is even responsible for meeting the officials of ASUU?"
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