The Federal Government and ASUU clashed on Thursday as Education Minister Tunji Alausa denied any signed 2021 agreement, while ASUU accused the government of poor record-keeping.
The Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities clashed on Thursday over the validity of the 2021 agreement often cited by the union in its negotiations.
Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, told journalists in Abuja that contrary to ASUU’s claims, the government never signed any binding agreement with the lecturers. He explained that the documents in question were only proposals considered during negotiations, not executed agreements.
“The 2021 agreement was not executed by the government. ASUU might have an impression that they have an agreement with government. There was no signed agreement,” Alausa said. He added that President Bola Tinubu’s administration was determined to reach a “clean, actionable, and sustainable” pact with the union, noting that a high-level technical committee had been set up to finalize a counter-proposal.
Reacting, ASUU president, Prof. Chris Piwuna, faulted the minister’s remarks, saying they reflected government’s failure in record management. “The government is very poor at keeping records. Sometimes, you wonder if there is a proper handover,” Piwuna said.
ASUU has continued to press for improved salaries, funding, autonomy, and a review of education laws, despite the N50bn recently released for earned allowances.