THE SENATE, on Friday, waded into the ongoing crisis between the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Federal Government which had resulted in a two-week warning strike.
Chairman, Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund, Sen. Muntari Dandutse, made this known after a meeting with the union at the National Assembly Complex, Abuja.
Dandutse, while acknowledging “the concerns and frustrations” that had led to the action, assured that the committee would take the issues raised by ASUU seriously.
“This is because we recognise the critical role that our universities play in shaping the future of our nation and we are committed to ensuring that they receive the support they need to thrive.
“We are not in support of any academic strike; we are not in support of any threat by the executives. We are here as those who are elected to oversight you and ensure that you work effectively and efficiently. If you look at the situation in Nigeria, it has been a long issue and a prolonged issue of ASUU strike.
“We need to address it holistically and it will do us well at the end of the process. So, we want you to understand that we are all here to be accountable,” the senator said.
After a closed-door session, Dandutse said that the committee resolved to convey its position to the Ministry of Education and National Universities Commission (NUC).
“This is for a negotiation as soon as possible so that we can resolve this lingering problem. The senate committee also agreed to interface with the Minister of FCT to resolve the issue of University of Abuja’s land which was not taken from them. Also, other needs will be studied and appropriate steps will be taken to ensure amicable resolution,” he said.
Earlier, the ASUU President, Prof. Christopher Piwuna, said that the union was currently on a two-week warning strike.
“Unfortunately, the journey that led us to where we are today did not start with this executive,” he said.
The ASUU president said that the key issue in the draft agreement was that of sustainable funding for tertiary institutions.
“Others are: condition of service, autonomy and academic freedom in Nigerian universities as well as other issues that concern the governance of the institutions,” he said
Piwuna also called on the senate to intervene in the land belonging to University of Abuja but which the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) had allegedly revoked.
“We need to deal with this problem. In spite of the several calls and releases by our union, our branch in University of Abuja, the minister is still determined to go ahead and take the land of the university,” he said.
The ASUU president urged the senate to pay more attention to the budgetary allocation to the education sector to better the lot of the institutions.
In an interview with newsmen. Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau, said that the upper chamber would do everything possible to resolve the lingering crisis as soon as possible.
“Education, as I always said, is the bedrock of every society. And we cannot afford to leave our children, who are mostly in the public universities, to stay at home,” he stated.
Barau noted that President Bola Tinubu, at all times, was willing to make sure that whatever constitute an impediment to the country’s education system, was resolved as soon as possible.
“The president, I’m sure, is working round the clock to make sure that this matter is resolved,” he said. (NAN)
