ASUU/FG IMPASSE AND GBAJABIAMILA’S TIMELY INTERVENTION

James Azuquo writes that Femi Gbajabiamila’s efforts showed that he is a trustworthy leader who seeks the good of the people

The Academic Staff Union of Universities(ASUU) industrial action that lasted eight months, was a national malady. It grinded the tertiary education ecosystem and worsened the youth restiveness crisis as many idle young men took to vices. Many businesses that serve university communities closed shop. Losses mounted. Families suffered. 

The industrial crisis grew into a full blown rift between the federal government and the varsity union. Within the same period, a rival union, Congress of University Academics (CONUA) was recognized and registered by the government to break the powerful hegemony of ASUU that has held down shut public universities over its demands.

Rt Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, the Speaker, House of Representatives moved in to end the face-off between the government and ASUU. The past successes in resolving similar matters and credibility of the speaker as a trusted public official whose words are his bond made ASUU leadership to submit to agree to his mediation.

Expectedly, the patriotic Speaker who has now become a reputable nationalist got to work. He met with the federal government team and secured commitments from them on matters of concerns to the striking lecturers. He reasoned that the current socio-economic, including heightened insecurity that is threatening the corporate existence of the nation should not further be compounded by youth restiveness and related vices as a result of the strike. 

As an experienced administrator and politician, Gbajabiamila successfully facilitated the truce that ended one of the longest industrial actions in the history of Nigeria. Lecturers returned to the classrooms, with the assurances of the speaker that incremental improvement will be achieved in the sector.

Alas, barely three weeks after the public universities opened, another issue arose. This time around, the Nigerian government paid October, 2022 salaries of lecturers on a pro-rata basis. According to the government, lecturers will only be rewarded for the days they worked in the month of October. As intellectuals, the lecturers were miffed by the action of the government and threatened to back out of the gentleman agreement they made.

In the midst of ensued melee, the vibrant Speaker of the House didn’t sit idle, whining on the ugly turn of events. He stepped in!  Gbajabiamila chronicled the steps he had caused the federal government to take within three weeks that lecturers returned to the classrooms.  

He said, “Since then (resumption of academic activities in the public universities), the Executive and the House of Representatives have worked to address the issues that led to the strike. We are currently working on the 2023 Appropriations Bill, which includes the sum of N170bn to provide a level of increment in the welfare package of university lecturers. The Bill also includes additional N300bn in revitalisation funds to improve the infrastructure and operations of federal universities.

“Furthermore, the House of Representatives has convened the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and other stakeholders to facilitate the adoption of elements of the University Transparency and

Accountability Solution (UTAS) into the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS). This effort is being supervised by the Chairman of the House Committee on Tertiary

Education, Rep. Aminu Suleiman.

On why the federal government would not pay salaries for the striking period, the Speaker explained that, “The Executive position that it is not obligated to pay salaries to

lecturers for the time spent on strike is premised on the law and the government’s legitimate interest in preventing moral hazard and discouraging disruptive industrial actions.

“Nonetheless, interventions have been made to explore the possibility of partial payments to the lecturers. We look forward to a favourable consideration by His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR who has manifested his desire to what is prudent and

necessary to resolve all outstanding issues.

On the pending matters, especially IPPIS, Gbajabiamila sued for calm and argued it will be utterly devastating for lecturers to embark on another round of industrial action. The Speaker appealed that, “Implementing meaningful change takes time, especially when

appropriations and modifications to systems such as IPPIS are required. 

“Therefore, I urge all parties to be patient and grant each other the presumption of goodwill to the extent necessary to achieve our shared objectives. This is not a time for political brinkmanship. There is no more pressing objective than to preclude the possibility of further disruptions to the academic calendar of the universities. We must prevent this possibility by all means, as these disruptions risk the promise and potential of our nation’s youth”.

The efforts of Gbajabiamila so far showed that he is indeed a trustworthy leader who consistently seeks the good of the people. He has demonstrated unequalled leadership dexterity in times of national turmoil. He does not unnecessarily play to the gallery nor engages in partisanship when the collective national interests are at stake.  

For the first time in the recent history of Nigeria, with the good faith and patriotism and genuine love and concerns for the people, especially the downtrodden, the Nigerian people have started seeing a ray of hope in the political leadership class of Nigeria. Gbajabiamila caused that shift.

The House of Representatives that was hitherto perceived as a lackey of the Executive and as an institution whose interest is at variance with that of Nigeria has been altered positively with the great leadership that Gbajabiamila has brought as the Speaker of the House.

People-oriented and progressives legislations are carefully enacted for the benefit of Nigerians. Also, the operations of the activities of the House that were adjudged opaque have been more open for public scrutiny.

History will obviously be kind to Gbajabiamila on the patriotic role he played when he had the opportunity to serve his father land. 

 Azuquo writes from Nsukka, Enugu State