* sets up committee to mediate between FG/ASUU
By; BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan
The Committee of Pro-Chancellors of State-Owned Universities in Nigeria (COPSUN) on Tuesday declared that the planned fresh strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) is not a good omen for the future of tertiary education in Nigeria.
COPSUN in a communique issued at the end of the Committee’s 54th quarterly meeting signed by Chairman, Committee of Pro-Chancellors of State-Owned Universities, Mallam Yusuf Ali, (SAN) said “strike should not as the only weapon of negotiation with governments”,
The Pro Chancellors stated that to avert another nationwide strike in the Universities, it has set up a high-powered committee to interface and mediate in the lingering crisis between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities’ (ASUU).
” As part of its efforts to promote national dialogue, peace and reconciliation on the lingering crisis between the Federal Government and ASUU, COPSUN has set up a high-powered committee to interface and mediate in the matter for the growth and development of tertiary education in Nigeria”, it said.
The Pro Chancellors added, ” while the crave for reforms in the education sector is healthy and should persist, negotiations with the Federal Government on policy implementation is encouraged but the penchant to proceed on the total shut down of the university system at the slightest provocation is ill-advised and quite insensitive to the plight of the students and their sponsors who will have to bear the brunt.”
Appealing to ASUU to reconsider its position on the planned strike and allow more opportunities for dialogue and negotiation, the Pro Chancellors stressed “as stakeholders, we all stand to benefit better in a peaceful environment.”
COPSUN noted ” to avoid the tendency of regarding the country as operating a unitary system, rather than a federal system. Each state university should have the liberty to negotiate and engage its employees on its own terms and conditions”, adding” its representatives during negotiations with labour be accorded authoritative mandate and not as mere observers.”
Calling on the Nigerian Governors’ Forum to collaborate with the Federal Government, the National Assembly and other stakeholders to institute the process for the amendment and removal of labour and wages matters from the Exclusive Legislative list of the Constitution (as amended) to the Concurrent List to enable State-Owned universities operate and relate with their employees under the rules establishing the universities and not under the rules of the Federal Government-owned universities as is presently the case”, it urged the Federal Government to ensure adherence to the extant laws guiding labour relations in the university particularly the provision of “no work no pay”.
COPSUN however tasked the Federal Government to intensify its war against terrorism and banditry beyond the battle field, the Committee asserted that no matter the efforts being put in place, there could be no meaningful development in education system as long as the schools consistently remain the target of attack by terrorists.
