Alausa Urges University Unions to Avoid Strikes, Trust Tinubu’s Commitments

The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, has urged university-based unions to sustain dialogue with the Federal Government and avoid actions that could disrupt academic activities, assuring them that President Bola Tinubu is committed to fulfilling his administration’s promises.

 

Alausa made the appeal on Tuesday in Abuja during the unveiling of renegotiated agreements between the Federal Government and unions in tertiary institutions. He called on stakeholders to cooperate to ensure the effective implementation of the agreements.

 

The minister cautioned against misinformation and actions capable of creating disaffection among Nigerians, insisting that the government remained committed to delivering on its promises.

 

“We have a President who did not make campaign promises merely to win an election. He made those promises with the intention of working decisively to fulfil them once sworn into office,” Alausa said.

 

He urged stakeholders to assess the administration based on its campaign promises and stressed the need for sustained engagement to address challenges in the education sector.

 

Alausa also commended officials of the Federal Ministry of Education, heads of tertiary institutions and union leaders for their contributions to the renegotiation process.

 

Earlier, the Chairman of the Federal Government Negotiation Team, Yayale Ahmed, urged the unions not to take the President’s commitment to resolving challenges in the education sector for granted.

 

Ahmed warned that threats of industrial action should not be allowed to undermine the implementation of the agreements, describing the unveiling as the beginning of another phase of engagement between the government and the unions.

 

He said the success of the agreements would depend on the government’s willingness to implement their provisions and the unions’ readiness to exercise patience.

 

“The most important thing is for us to have a seamless agreement collectively, and that the government is not only willing but comfortable with ensuring implementation to the letter,” he said.

 

The former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation acknowledged that the negotiations had been challenging but attributed the outcome to mutual respect, collective bargaining and concessions by both parties.

 

He said negotiations required give-and-take, noting that union leaders had demonstrated responsibility by defending their members’ interests while also considering the government’s position.

 

Ahmed, however, disclosed that discrepancies had been identified in some aspects of the agreements. He said the education minister and the relevant wages commission had expressed readiness to review the issues to prevent any union from feeling aggrieved.

 

He appealed to the unions to allow government processes to run their course, cautioning against threats of indefinite strikes over outstanding payments.

 

Also speaking, the National President of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Muhammed Ibrahim, commended the Federal Government for the progress made in addressing workers’ demands, saying the developments had renewed optimism among university employees.

 

Ibrahim praised Alausa for engaging union leaders even before assuming office, recalling that the minister’s intervention had helped resolve some outstanding salary payments.

 

He said the recent payments had generated excitement among university workers, describing the development as a positive change in their experience.

 

However, the SSANU president urged the minister to ensure that unions whose agreements were yet to be formally processed received the necessary documentation without further delay.

 

He said delays in releasing outstanding agreements and circulars had created tension among affected workers and called on the ministry to facilitate their release.

 

Ibrahim assured the government of the unions’ willingness to contribute to national development, arguing that addressing university workers’ concerns would help tackle some of the country’s broader challenges.

 

The renegotiated agreements mark another step in efforts to resolve longstanding disputes between the Federal Government and tertiary institution unions over workers’ welfare, conditions of service and other employment-related issues.

 

Their implementation is expected to test the government’s commitment to its agreements with the unions as stakeholders seek to maintain industrial harmony across universities, polytechnics and colleges of education.