The federal government has stated that talks with the Academic Staff
Union of Universities (ASUU) have so far been fruitful, expressing
optimism that the ongoing strike by the university teachers, which has
paralysed academic activities in the universities nationwide will soon
be called off.
The government’s optimism, according to the
Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, is predicated on the
federal government’s consideration of some of ASUU’s demands, including
the submission of the union’s list of outstanding payments, and the
identification of some areas in the universities in need of
revitalisation as contained in the signed 2009 agreement.
The
minister said talks with the union have so far been productive and
fruitful, adding that the federal government was optimistic that the
strike would soon be called off to pave way for students to resume
academic activities.
He said: “There are areas that are still
outstanding which we are going to address on the 17th. We have the issue
of shortfall of salaries, that of some federal university workers. ASUU
has given a list to the office of the Accountant General.
“We
agreed that by Wednesday that the list will be checked to find out
really whether those universities were actually paid and they have to be
visited and paid the outstanding lecturers there. So, the Accountant
General’s office is to come back to us.
We have also the issue of
Earned Academic Allowance and the issue of revitalisation. These are
issues of 2009 agreement. We will look into the consideration and we
have identified one area of the fund for revitalisation.
“The
federal government organs will be contacted and we do expect that we
will have some words for ASUU. Same goes for the earned allowances. We
will make sure that the issue of the outstanding amounts is handled in a
way that all parties will be properly accommodated,” he said.
Ngige
revealed that during the talks, the quality of graduates from
state-owned universities was brought to focus with a view to upgrading
the standard of education in order to meet with global standards.
He
said state owned universities are not producing graduates that can be
employed as several are lacking in competitive skills. He said the
federal government through the ministry of education will engage with
the Nigeria Governors Forum and will chart a way forward.
“We
also discussed the issue of state universities and since education is on
concurrent list, the universities should be properly funded and
staffed, so that we do not produce half baked graduates from those
universities. And towards realising that, the ministry of education will
engage the Nigeria Governors’ Forum. The minister of education is
taking steps towards that direction and will organise that interaction.
“Engaging
them directly and giving professional advice is what the ministry will
do. These are some of the issues we discussed and to me; the discussions
were fruitful. We want the children to go back to school,” he added.
Meanwhile,
the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), has vowed to
vehemently resist any attempt by the federal government to privatise
public hospitals in the country. The union warned that privatisation of
public hospitals is a threat to the survival of Nigerians in terms of
health.
The MHWUN President, Biobelemoye Josiah, handed down the
warning while donating items worth about N2 million to the Internally
Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp in Durumi, a community in Abuja Municipal
Area Council.
Insisting that it was the responsibility of the
government to provide affordable healthcare services to the people, the
MHWUN president said: “What we are saying is that public health
institutions are institutions of public good. These are institutions
that are meant to provide healthcare for the downtrodden, the poor and
the vulnerable.
“But there is a conspiracy by capitalists to
ensure that they take these health facilities from the reach of the
common man in the guise of privatisation. We are not against a private
man using his own money to build a health facility, equip it and keep it
for the affluent, especially those who have looted our country and have
made it big.
“They can establish these hospitals for them, but
they should leave the public hospitals for the common man.Public Private
Partnership (PPP) has failed in the health sector worldwide. There is
no PPP that can make malaria treatment cheaper.
“Go to
all the hospitals that PPP has been introduced in Nigeria; it has taken
healthcare away from the reach of the poor and the vulnerable,” he said.
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