The federal government has inaugurated the team to re-negotiate the 2009 agreement with the Academic Staff Union of Universities.
The Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, yesterday said the inauguration of the 14-man committee was done in demonstration of the government’s commitment to fulfilling its promises.
Adamu said that the team for the re-negotiation with unions from the polytechnics and colleges of education would soon be constituted as their respective Governing Councils are being put in place.
According to him, “The inauguration of the re-negotiation team is significant as it confirms to the unions that government is committed to keeping its own side of the promise.
“It wants to ensure that an environment that is conducive for teaching, learning, research and community service is engendered through lasting industrial harmony in all our tertiary institutions.
“Today’s inauguration kick-starts our drive for re-negotiation across the three segments of the tertiary education sub-sector –universities, polytechnics and colleges of education, starting with universities.
“The administration in the ministry and the administration in the country does not consider the unions enemies or even opponents. As I have always said, ASUU, NASU, NATE and all other are patriotic people who are very concerned about education because what they are struggling for is not for their personal glory or gain. Therefore, you should be facing friends who are interested in education as you are, “he added.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the committee, Dr. Wale Babalakin, said a conducive environment in the tertiary institutions was the bedrock for development of a nation’s intelligentsia.