We didn’t act deceptively in ASUU strike intervention – Reps

The Home of Representatives has debunked the assertion that its management’s intervention that resulted in the long run to the months-long strike by Tutorial Employees Union of Universities (ASUU) was completed deceptively.

On Tuesday, December 27, 2022, Nationwide President of ASUU, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, reportedly granted an interview accusing Speaker of the Home of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, of utilizing deception to persuade the union to name off its strike motion, particularly alleging that the Speaker didn’t ship on his written dedication that the federal government would, directly, offset the arrears of salaries owed to members of the union for the time they have been on strike. 

Spokesman of the Home, Benjamin Kalu, in a response on Wednesday nevertheless acknowledged that “at no level did the Speaker of the Home of Representatives decide to offset the arrears of salaries owed to union members for the time they have been on strike”, noting that the Home solely helped resolve the strike by making commitments to enhance the welfare package deal of college lecturers and revitalisation funds to enhance the infrastructure and operations of federal universities. 

“These commitments are mirrored within the 2023 Appropriation Invoice, which incorporates 100 and seventy billion naira (N170,000,000,000.00) to offer a stage of increment within the welfare package deal of college lecturers and extra 300 billion naira (N300,000,000,000.00) in revitalisation funds.

“Moreover, the Home of Representatives continues to work with stakeholders; the Accountant Common of the Federation (AGF) and the Tutorial Employees Union of Universities (ASUU) to facilitate the adoption of parts of the College Transparency and Accountability Answer (UTAS) into the Built-in Payroll and Personnel Info System (IPPIS).  This effort is being supervised by the Chairman of the Home Committee on Tertiary Schooling, Rep. Aminu Suleiman.

“Professor Emmanuel Osodeke is aware of that the Federal Authorities of Nigeria is underneath no obligation to pay college lecturers’ salaries for the length they have been on strike.  It is a settled matter in legislation.  See S. 43(1)(a) Commerce Disputes Act, Cap T8, Legal guidelines of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN).  The Govt determination to not pay salaries to lecturers for the time spent on strike is warranted by the federal government’s official curiosity in stopping ethical hazard and discouraging disruptive industrial actions. 

“Nonetheless, the Speaker has made interventions for an exemption on this regard, and Professor Osodeke is effectively conscious of this.

“The general public curiosity in guaranteeing a well-functioning tertiary training sector is a matter of paramount concern for all who perceive the transformational position of training in any society.  Because of this, the ninth Home of Representatives has been constant in our efforts to discover avenues for reform and enchancment to the framework of public training within the nation from fundamental training by tertiary.  Our targets on this regard won’t be achieved when stakeholders select to disregard substantive points and the consideration of daring concepts in favour of low cost blackmail and immoral propaganda.

“Professor Osodeke’s bad-faith strategy to negotiations and his affinity for political brinkmanship are vital causes the schools have been on strike for thus lengthy. His ongoing interventions proceed to threaten the progress being made to preclude the opportunity of additional disruptions to the tutorial calendar of the schools.  Subsequently, I name on him, in his capability as President of the Tutorial Employees Union of Universities (ASUU), to desist from making additional deceptive statements in opposition to the Home of Representatives and the Speaker, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila.

“There is no such thing as a place for belligerence and egocentric agitation on this crucial second.  That is the time for calm heads and regular arms, working collectively for the widespread good,” the spokesman stated within the assertion.