ASUU Strike News Update Today August 2022 | Call Off Date

 

IN a normal circumstance, President Muhammadu Buhari’s ultimatum to the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, to end the five month-old indefinite strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, should come as cheering news to anxious Nigerians.

But, after over seven years in the saddle, we have seen the president issuing these ultimatums and “marching orders” and holding numerous “emergency meetings” with security and military chiefs over our security woes which continue to worsen. The president’s “marching orders” are now seen as wands that produce no magic.

Even the ultimatum itself was shrouded in several controversies. The government’s failure to resolve this strike had been blamed on the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, by the Union and the Education Minister, Adamu. The Minister accused Ngige of claiming the right to lead the negotiations based on International Labour Organisation, ILO, statutes.

ASUU had also served notice that it would not accept Ngige’s presence on the negotiation table. To this effect, Buhari ordered Ngige to withdraw and let Adamu head the effort.

We see this controversy as childish and diversionary. We are of the view that the task of working out plans to end the strike of ASUU or that of any other workers union under the Federal Ministry of Education is strictly the responsibility of the Minister, Adamu. 

The Labour Minister is a negotiator

Adamu’s reported withdrawal for Ngige is a gross display of immaturity and dereliction of duty. In more serious countries, he should be considered unfit to remain in office.