NASU ‘Stages Walkout’ During Renegotiation Meeting With FG

A negotiation meeting between the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the Federal authorities has ended on deadlocked, as the Union staged a walk out.

The consensus which was actually converged on Friday 22 April 2022, in Abuja, properly attended with the presence of contributors of the Renegotiation Committee of the FGN/NASU 2009 Agreement in the Universities and Inter-University Centres

A press announcement made handy to journalists in Abuja and signed with, by NASU General Secretary, Prince Peters A. Adeyemi, explained; “NASU Renegotiation Team went to the venue of the meeting at the National Universities Commission (NUC), Abuja full of excessive hopes that this very important renegotiation meeting is a manner that will bring peace to the University system.

“Unfortunately, the Government Team of the Renegotiation Committee led by Prof. Nimi Briggs, the Pro-Chancellor of Federal University, Ndufu-Alike, Ikwo, Ebonyi State was no longer ready for any renegotiation. This was very apparent from the minutes the meeting commenced obvious at the first object on the document of the Sub-committee of the Renegotiating Committee.

“The meeting of the FGN/NASU Renegotiation Committee chaired by Dr. Wale Babalakin, SAN, the then Pro-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, held on Friday, 10 of August, 2018 set up a Sub-committee comprising participants of Government Team and NASU in the Renegotiation Committee to study the Memorandum of Demand (MOD) of NASU and perceive problems that had been contentious, non-contentious and those that required further clarification in order to facilitate the renegotiation of the troubles it has caused.

Adeyemi went on to say; “On resumption of the renegotiation today, Friday, 22nd April, 2022, the Government side did everything possible to set aside the report of the Sub-committee, which was chaired by Prof. Olufemi Bamiro, with the current Chairman, Prof. Nimi Briggs as member. The Government side was only ready to enter disagreements on all items on the Union’s MOD as if that was a pre-determined position before the meeting

It is obvious that the Government side of the Renegotiation Committee lacks capacity to commit their Principals (the Federal Government) on any issue of the negotiation. This we found to be strange and not in line with the principles of collective bargaining.

“It is shocking and surprising to the Union that at this time when all hands should be on deck to resolve the lingering crisis in the University system in order to enable our children return to the classroom, the Government side of the Renegotiation Committee will show non-commitment and nonchalant attitude to the renegotiation, which is aimed at resolving the crisis. We came to the conclusion that the meeting called was just a window dressing and aimed at playing to the gallery.

“NASU members of the Negotiation Committee therefore had no option than to inform the Government side that they have to go back to their Principals, i.e., NASU members in the Universities and Inter-University Centres to inform them of the development and get their directives on further steps to take.