Fear of imminent strike in the polytechnic and college of education sectors has forced the Federal Ministry of Education to set up a re-negotiation committee with unions in the two systems.
A press release issued yesterday by the ministry disclosed that the agreement reached with the unions in 2010, was due for re-negotiation as Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike entered its fourth day today.
Signed by Agidike Onu on behalf of the Director of Press and Public Relations, the statement added that the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, inaugurated “teams to re-negotiate the agreements it reached with unions in Colleges of Education and Polytechnics in 2010.”
He said the agreements were due for re-negotiation since 2013, “but the exercise did not take place because of some unforeseen circumstances,” adding that “barely two years into the life of the present administration, President Muhammadu Buhari had approved the reconstitution of the government teams and the commencement of re-negotiation with the unions.”
Adamu charged the members to study the agreements entered into with all the unions in the colleges of education and polytechnics and engaged them with a view to reaching a workable and sustainable agreement.
“As members of the government teams, you are expected to play your role with skills and efficiency to come up with agreements that will help in stimulating rapid growth of the colleges of education and the polytechnics and make them more competitive and attractive,” he said.
Chairman of Governing Council, Federal Polytechnic, Damaturu Mohammed Ababakar, is to chair the team for the polytechnic unions, while the Chairman, Governing Council, Federal College of Education, Obudu, Dr. Obi Anthony, heads the team to renegotiate with unions in colleges of education.
Each team comprises of 14 members made up of relevant stakeholders, including representative of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, representative of Federal Ministry of Labour & Employment, representative of Ministry of Finance.
Others were representative of the Ministry of Justice; representative of Ministry of Budget & National Planning, and representative of the National Salaries, Incomes & Wages Commission.
Responding, on behalf of team members, the chairman of the Governing Council, Auchi Polytechnic, Chief Michael Oloyo, expressed the commitment of members to accomplish the goals set before them.
