The Federal Government has instructed university vice chancellors to reopen classes and permit students to return to lectures.
This was stated in a letter that Mr. Sam Onazi, Director of Finance and Accounts for the National Universities Commission (NUC), signed on Monday in Abuja on behalf of Prof. Abubakar Rasheed, the commission’s Executive Secretary.
All vice chancellors, pro chancellors, and chairs of governing bodies of federal universities were requested in the letter to reopen the institutions.
UPDATE: FG To Meet Vice Chancellors, Pro-Chancellors Over ASUU Strike
“Ensure that ASUU members immediately resume/commence lectures; restore the daily activities and routines of the various University campuses,” the letter reads.
Remember that ASUU went on strike starting on February 14 to emphasize their demand for increased financing for universities and a review of lecturer wages, among other things.
Due to disagreements over the demands, several talks between ASUU and the Federal Government have come to an end in stalemate.
The strike was challenged in court by the federal government, but the union claimed it would not end and instead would appeal the court’s decision.
ASUU was instructed to cease its seven-month strike by the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) in Abuja on September 21.
Strike: FG Has Declared War On Our Members – ASUU Cries Out
In a decision on the federal government’s request for an interlocutory injunction against the ongoing ASUU strike, the judge, Polycarp Hamman, issued the order.
On Wednesday, Hamman granted the injunction and rejected ASUU’s opposition to the application.
Femi Falana, SAN, the attorney for the union, however, requested the court to reject the federal government’s application and instead order an expedited hearing of the primary lawsuit.
Hamman concurred with the government that the lives of the students who had been rendered inactive by the strike were suffering irreparable harm.
He claimed that refusing to issue the injunction will only worsen the aspirations of young Nigerians.
He highlighted the National Youth Service Corps and employment in the Nigerian armed services as examples of programs where eligibility based on age is a prerequisite.
ASUU: ‘Give Us Little Time, Call Off The Strike’ – Buhari To Lecturers
Falana had claimed that the affidavit submitted in support of the application by Ikechukwu Wamba, a legal officer at the Ministry of Labour and Employment, should not be considered because the deponent was not a part of the university community nor present at any discussions with the union.
Judge Hamman, however, disagreed, stating that Wamba had access to the official records of the negotiations and provided legal advice to the minister in his capacity as a legal officer and member of management at the labor ministry.
The judge also disagreed with Falana’s claim that since the strike started in February, the administration has not taken the required action to end it.
According to him, there was proof that negotiations had been ongoing from meetings with the administration that started soon after the strike and continued until September 1.
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