By Faith Igbudu
Amidst the insistence of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to continue on its strike as a response to ‘no work no pay’ policy, Minister for Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, has extended a letter of invitation to pro-chancellors and the chairmen of councils and their vice-chancellors of universities to chart a way forward.
With this move by the federal government, there are indications that the divide and rule approach may be used to tackle the lingering strike as ASUU will be ignored and the public universities re-opened soon after over six months of shutdown.
The Voice gathered that this is happening as some factions within the union that embarked on the strike are beginning to pull out one after another and accept FG’s offer.
According to an undisclosed source at the Federal Ministry of Education, the academic staff are not the only workers in the university system and since non-academic staff are ready to go back to work, the universities should no longer be shut.
“Moreover, there are some lecturers who are also ready to work, such people should not be shut out.
“Only few days ago, a group addressed the press in Abuja, saying they are not part of the ASUU trouble. Their group is also working to be registered too.
“Non-teaching staff have also called off their strike and the university environment is not only for or about academic staff.
“Why should those who are ready to work be denied the opportunity to work?,” he queried.
In a hint about the meeting of pro-chancellors and vice-chancellors of federal universities which have been slated for next Tuesday at the National Universities Commission (NUC), Complex, Abuja, he said they are to meet with the education minister.
The letter inviting them marked NUC/ES/138/VOL. 64/125 was signed by the Deputy Executive Secretary, Administration, Chris Maiyaki, on behalf of the Executive Secretary.
The letter was titled: “Industrial actions by university-based unions: Invitation to a special interactive meeting with the Honourable Minister of Education.”
It read in part: “As the pro-chancellors and the chairmen of councils and the vice-chancellors are quite aware, the industrial action by university-based unions has led to the closure of the institutions since February 14, 2022.
“You are also aware that the non-teaching unions have suspended their industrial actions with effect from 24th August, 2022, while a final decision is being awaited from the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU.
“It has become necessary for the Governing Councils and the managements of the universities to be briefed on the decisions and actions taken by the Federal Government so far, to allow for a well-coordinated review of the situation, including building consensus around succeeding actions.”
It was gathered that at the meeting, the government would order the schools to be re-opened and allow workers ready to work come back to their duty posts.
Recall that ASUU, on Monday, declared an indefinite strike after holding a National Executive Council meeting in Abuja on the ‘no work no pay’ implementation.
It has been gathered that managements of some state universities are also taking steps to re-open their institutions.