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Hope rises for public varsities reopening

Education

By Doosuur Iwambe

The Federal Government has disclosed that its public universities, like their private counterparts, will soon reopen for academic activities.

In fact, the government on Wednesday inaugurated a team to re-negotiate the residual issues in the 2009 agreements between it and university-based unions, towards a workable and implementable accord that will facilitate the repositioning of the ivory towers.

Speaking during the inauguration of the team in Abuja, the minister of education Mallam Adamu Adamu said government has been neck deep in several meetings with the leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and others, to resolve the outstanding issues that led to the current industrial action in public universities.

According to the minister, significant progress was recorded in the course of the meeting adding that the outcome has created an opportunity that the nation’s public universities, like their private counterparts, will soon reopen for academic activities.

While reaffirming the commitment of the present administration to finding lasting solutions to the challenges confronting the education sector, and most especially, the university sub-sector, the minister said that government is determined to, use all the available resources to provide the requisite environment, infrastructure as well as improve the conditions of service for all categories of staff in Nigerian universities.

He said, ‘’government, like other stakeholders, is also worried about the vicious cycle over the years of the myriad of industrial actions by one staff union or the other.

The cumulative effect has been the obvious loss of productive and precious man-hours direly needed by the universities to fulfil their tripod mandates of teaching, research and community action.

“All these have affected negatively on our learning outcomes and the reputation of the Nigerian brand, which hitherto was the pride of the nation’’.

The minister further disclosed that the FGN team is expected to take another look at the 2009 Agreements reached with the university-based Unions and work with each Union towards making far-reaching recommendations that would reposition the Nigerian university system.

‘’The FGN team is expected to take another look at the 2009 Agreements reached with the university-based Unions and work with each Union towards making far-reaching recommendations that would reposition the Nigerian university system.

It has also become necessary and urgent that all hands must now be on deck to restore the confidence reposed in university education by students,parents and the general public’’.

The team which is categorised into substantive members, advisers and observers, is led by Professor Emeritus Munzali M. Jibril.

Others in the members of the team are; Amb. Chief Dr. (Mrs.) Nimota Nihinola Akanbi Pro-Chancellor, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, Professor Emeritus Nimi Briggs Pro-Chancellor, Federal University Ndufu Alike, Ikwo Rep.

North-Central Rep. South-South Rep. North-East Rep. South-West, Arch. Lawrence P. Ngbale Pro-Chancellor Federal University, Wukari.

Others include; Professor Femi Odekunle Pro-Chancellor, FUT, Minna, Senator (Dr.) Nkechi Nworgu Pro-Chancellor, University of Calabar, Professor Shehu Usman Abdullahi Pro-Chancellor, Kaduna State University, San. Maj. Gen. Mamman Magoro, OPR ProChancellor, Kebbi State University Bimin Kebbi, Rep. South-East, Rep. North West and Rep. State-owned Universities.

Members among the advisers are; Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), Executive Secretary, Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Chairman, Committee of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities (CVC), Chairman, Committee of Vice-Chancellors of State-owned Universities, Chairman, Association of Registrars of Nigerian Universities (ARNU), Secretary, Association of Registrars of Nigerian Universities (ARNU), Chairman, Association of Bursars of Nigerian Universities (ABNU), and Secretary, Association of Bursars of Nigerian Universities (ABNU).

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The observer category is composed of representatives from the: Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity, Federal Ministry of Education, Federal Ministry of Finance and Budget Planning, Federal Ministry of Justice, Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, and Office of Head of Civil Service of the Federation.

The members are expected to amongst others ‘’re-negotiate the residual issues in the 2009 Agreements between the Federal Government of Nigeria and the university-based unions, towards a workable and implementable agreement between both parties, such that will facilitate a repositioning of Nigerian universities for greater responsibilities in national development.

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Ihesiulo Grace

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