The Federal Government on Thursday, refuted claims that it has signed agreements with the Academic Staff Union of Universities )ASUU),noting that the documents being referenced were merely proposals and not written agreements.
The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, Alausa, who made the clarification on Thursday while addressing journalists in Abuja, saidboth the 2009 and 2011 documents often cited by ASUU as binding agreements were never signed, but only proposals presented during negotiations.
According to Alausa, the administration of President Bola Tinubu was, however, committed to resolving lingering issues with the university lecturers’ union.
“The documents ASUU has been referring to as agreements were just proposals that were never signed,” the minister said, just as he also dismissed reports that he scheduled a meeting with ASUU and the Minister of Labour and Employment, describing them as inaccurate.
Recall that earlier this year, the Tinubu administration released N50bn to settle earned academic allowances owed to university lecturers and staff.
But despite this, ASUU has consistently hammering on clear commitments on improved salaries, conditions of service, university funding, autonomy, and a review of laws governing the National Universities Commission and the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board.
