September 06, (THEWILL) – Amid face off between the Federal Government and Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the Committee of Vice Chancellors (CVC) has set up Peace Building Team, to intervene and find a solution to the six months strike by the university lecturers.
The team, comprising former Vice Chancellors (VCs), Pro-Chancellors and other eminent members of the society, is coordinated by Former CVC Secretary, Prof. Michael Faborode.
Other members include Prof. J. D Amin, former VC UNIMAID & Federal University, Dutse & Chairman of CVCNU Board of Trustees (BOT); Emeritus Prof. A. O. Bamiro, former VC, University of Ibadan and former Pro- Chancellor, Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED); Senator Dr. Nkechi Nwagogu, former Pro-Chancellor, UNICAL.
Others are Prof. Joe Ahaneku, former VC, UNIZIK, Awka and former Chairman CVCNU; Prof. Fatima Mukhtar, former VC, Federal University, Dutse; Prof. Akpan H. Ekpo, former VC of UNIUYO; Prof. Yakubu Ochefu Secretary General, CVCNU and former VC, Kwararafa University, Wukari.
The CVC said the prolonged ASUU strike is unhealthy for Nigeria’s education system, hence the intervention of the CVC, which is the umbrella body of Vice Chancellors of the tertiary institutions.
The Team in a statement issued by its Coordinator, Prof. Faborode, said it will be unwise and disservice to the nation for such class of people to fold their hands and watch the university system collapse because of prolonged dispute between the Federal Government and university lecturers.
Prof. Faborode explained that the peace team will operate under the auspices of the CVCNU/CPC, adding that both the Federal Government and ASUU are being reached to accept the intervention of the independent team of elders.
“It has become imperative that we speak up and intervene in this impasse because we do not have any other industry other than the university system. Whatever can be done to bring all the actors to reason and broker peace, using the Prof. Nimi Briggs committee recommendations as the fulcrum, will be worth the effort.
“The intervention being offered by the Peace Team as senior academics, former administrators at the level of VCs and more important as critical stakeholders in the Nigerian University system is basically to provide a middle ground to soften the seemingly hardline position that has been adopted by the negotiating parties.
“In doing so, we have isolated two key areas that are fundamental to the dispute. These are funding and governance. Of the seven points listed by ASUU and prerequisites to the resolution of the dispute, five revolve around governance and funding.
“From the position of both parties, there is a major divide in the ideological and operational understanding of governance and funding. By law, the Universities are autonomous. However, the head and part of the composition of its main governance body, the Governing Council, is the exclusive purview of the Federal Government.
“More importantly, the funding is almost 90 percent dependent on the Federal Government, and whatever internal changes that the universities make, are also regulated.
“The struggle for university autonomy that formed the major point of dispute since 2003 has to be contextualised in conversation over IPPIS or UTAS. A centralised payment platform for all Federal Universities fundamentally negates the principle of autonomy. Global best practice in general and the law establishing the federal universities, vest the power over finances to the Governing Council, with the Vice-Chancellor as Chief Accounting Officer.
“The centralisation of salary payment and approval of establishment figures and academic staff recruitment from the office of the Head of Service all negate the core principles on which university governance and administration are founded. We make bold to submit that these incursions/features hurt the Nigerian university system very badly.
“While Federal Government and ASUU both agree that the funding to universities is inadequate, they differ radically on how to fund the shortfall. Both parties need to be very creative and demonstrate the resolve to solve the funding challenge. Government should explore and adopt blended financing options with a strong mix of tax credits for any actors that support tertiary education. This way more money will flow into the system and the fear of education being priced out of the hands of the poor will be mitigated. ASUU’s hardline ideological stand on the matter of non-payment of tuition fees must be moderated to accommodate this possibility as long as Government puts in place the framework to accommodate intelligent, but indigent students. For the government, it is a matter of political will which like many strategic decisions will be painful at its introductory stage, but will translate to long time gains.
“ASUU is correct in stating that the industrial dispute has lasted this long because the Federal Government has not shown sufficient commitment toward its resolution. In the same vein, the Federal Government’s position rejecting ASUU’s demands on the adoption of UTAS for payment of salaries to staff of the University is also valid. We must accept these basic facts and move on.
“Whatever is finally agreed must have the stamp of legislation by the National Assembly to make the resolution perpetually binding and be sustainable. It must represent a final end to the spate of strikes in our universities. Enough of the monumental damage to the system.
“Both parties must for the sake of the system demonstrate a willingness to resolve contending matters so that we begin the task of repairing a badly damaged system. Any hardline resolution on either side will certainly cause more irreparable damage”, the statement read.
To resolve the issue amicably, the team made the following recommendations: “ASUU should not insist on deployment of UTAS as salary payment for university staff since the ecosystem consists of other persons who are not their members. The current Federal Government position should suffice.
“ASUU should accept the position of government to include in the 2023 Budget, its N170 billion to complete one branch of Needs Revitalisation Fund. The group urged that National Assembly should be involved in ensuring succeeding government’s compliance with this undertaking.
“ASUU should accept the government’s position to include in the 2023 Budget its demand for immediate release of N50 billion for payment of Earned Allowances in line with 2020 MoA. The National Assembly should be involved in ensuring succeeding government’s compliance with this undertaking.
“ASUU should accept this position and not make it a core demand, the release of Government’s White Paper on the 2021 visitation report. However, government should also expedite action at releasing the White Paper bearing in mind the rather long delay since the submissions of the reports last year.
“We agree with Federal Government’s given position on curbing of proliferation on university because education is on the concurrent list but add that the 14-point process of establishing a new University should be reviewed and made more strident. This is to curb overstretching of limited teaching resources and preserve quality.
“Government’s view on the recommended increase ought to factor in the pivotal role of universities in driving development. Hence, we plead for an upward review midway, to end the strike.
“On No-Work-No-Pay rule, the body argued that although a provision of the law, an exception can be made since the delay in negotiation was caused by Government. Going forward, a clause in the agreement can be framed that all future agreements be negotiated and concluded within a 4-week period.
“We note that 2023 will be the 50th anniversary of the first strike by academics in Nigerian Universities. In that historical context, the current dispute should serve as a painful reminder of how long we have been on this and should stiffen our resolve to end such disputes once and for all.”
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