The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Thursday faulted the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, for stating that the Federal Government never signed any formal agreement with the union.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja, Alausa clarified that the documents often referenced by ASUU were only negotiation drafts and proposals, not binding agreements. He stressed, however, that the Tinubu administration remained committed to addressing long-standing issues affecting university lecturers.
“The 2021 agreement was not executed by government. ASUU might have an impression that they have an agreement, but no agreement was signed,” the minister said.
Alausa explained that the government was working to ensure any new agreement would be “clean, actionable, implementable, and constitutional.” He noted that previous negotiations lacked the involvement of the Ministry of Justice, a gap the Tinubu administration intends to correct.
The minister also disclosed the formation of a seven-member high-level technical committee, chaired by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, to harmonize the government’s counter-proposal. The team includes the Solicitor General of the Federation, top officials from Labour, Justice, the Budget Office, and other agencies.
He assured that once the government’s draft is finalized, it will be forwarded to the Yayale Ahmed Committee for further deliberation with ASUU.
Earlier this year, the Federal Government released N50 billion to settle outstanding earned academic allowances. But ASUU has consistently demanded broader commitments, including improved salaries, better funding for universities, full autonomy, and a review of education laws.
Reacting, ASUU President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, criticized Alausa’s remarks, arguing that they reflected the government’s poor record-keeping culture.
“The government is very poor at keeping records. Sometimes you wonder if there is a proper handover from one officer to another,” Piwuna told the media.
