FG directs VCs to reopen universities

The National Universities Commission has ordered Vice Chancellors to re-open schools and allow students resume lectures.

In a letter signed by NUC’s Director of Finance and Accounts, Mr Sam Onazi, the Executive Secretary of the commission, Professor Abubakar Rasheed asked that the striking members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) should start lectures immediately.

The letter directed the Vice Chancellors to “ensure that ASUU members immediately resume/commence lectures; Restore the daily activities and routines of the various University campuses”.

According to The PUNCH, the letter was addressed to all Vice Chancellors; Pro-Chancellors and Chairmen of governing councils of federal universities.

ASUU embarked on the industrial action on 14 February demanding government’s implementation of the Memorandum of Action on funding for revitalisation of public universities, which was signed in December 2020.

Other are Earned Academic Allowances, renegotiation of the 2009 agreement and the deployment of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) for staff payment, among others.

Several meetings between ASUU and the Federal Government have ended in a deadlock.

Consequently, the Federal Government went to the National Industrial Court to challenge the strike.

The government through its counsel, James Igwe, prayed the court for an interlocutory injunction restraining ASUU from taking further steps as regards the strike, pending the determination of the substantive suit.

In his ruling, Justice Polycarp Hamman held that the application was meritorious and deserved to be granted by the court.

The court, thereafter, issued an order, restraining ASUU, “whether by themselves, members, agents, privies or howsoever called, from taking further steps and doing any act in continuance of the strike action, pending the hearing and determination of the suit filed”.

ASUU had since filed 14 grounds of appeal to challenge the order.