The House of Representatives during its plenary session on Tuesday, February 22, 2022, called for the urgent need to address the frequent actions by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
Hon. Dozie Ferdinand Nwankwo (location) raised the motion that the House is aware of the individual and corporate pains the strike action inflicted on Nigerian Students, Parents and, the Education sector to the extent that it disrupted the academic calendar which impacted negatively on the teaching staff, their families and the depreciating standards of Nigeria’s Public Universities.
He is also disturbed that, shortly after the last horrendous experience by Nigerians, a one-month warning strike action by members of ASUU has commenced with effect from February 14, 2022, despite all previous efforts to resolve the contending issues. Noting that, the consequences of the strike action are embarrassingly becoming too frequent and with consequences too damning to the Education sector as one-month strike action is too much disruption to an academic calendar.
Hon. Nwankwo is concerned that in the present circumstances, claims and counterclaims by both ASUU members and Government representatives are not helping the situation because the picture created is not clear and both Nigerians and foreigners are left to interpret it differently.
The House, therefore, mandated the Committees on Labour, Employment and Productivity and, Tertiary Education and Services to interface with the Ministries of Labour and Employment, Education, Civil Society Organizations, Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) and ASUU to address the outstanding issues that are precipitating the current warning strike by members of ASUU.
The House also urged the Ministry of Labour and Employment and ASUU to adhere to the Clauses and provisions of the previous Memorandum of Understanding and the Memorandum of Action in the interest of Nigerian students and the education sector in Nigeria and call off the warning strike.
OlalereTaiwo
For Head of Press:
Office of Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly matters
