ASUU Strike: NgigeThrows In the Tower, Says There Are Things That Are Above Him
…FG approves three new Polytechnics
Aliyu Ibrahim.
The crisis rocking the education sector may linger more than expected as Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige has stated that he has little control over the current impasse between the Academic Staff Union of Universities and the Federal Government.
This is just as the Federal Government approved three new Federal Polytechnics as part of efforts to make tertiary education more accessible in the country
Dr Ngige made this known on Monday while receiving members of the government side of the 2009 Federal Government/University-based unions agreement re-negotiation committee led by the Chairman, Prof. Nimi Briggs.
“As a conciliator, I have to make use of the labour instruments at my disposal. The bosses in the Federal Ministry of Education, do not feel the strike,” Ngige said
“There are things that are above me. I am not the Minister of Education. I cannot go to the Education Minister and dictate to him how to run his place”.
Speaking against the backdrop of the ongoing strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities(ASUU), Ngige said the union needed to make known their grievances to the right ministry to enable speedy resolution.
“But I told ASUU that you should be bombarding them at the Federal Ministry of Education for this to be moved forward. There are many ways to do so. If you go to the labour act,” he said.
“There is something called picketing. You can picket. The strike is an ultimate thing. Picketing means that you can stay in the corridor, clapping or singing. Workers are permitted to do so. But I am tired of every time there is a disagreement, it is a strike.”
“And the bosses in the Federal Ministry of Education don’t feel the strike. It is the children and some of us parents that have our children in public schools. I have my children in public universities.
“Three have graduated in medicine from Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital in Awka in 2020, LUTH College of Medicine in October 2021 and UniAbuja in December 2021. Others are still there including those on my foundation’s scholarship and sponsorship”.
The academics are seeking improved welfare, revitalisation of public universities and academic autonomy among other demands.
Meanwhile, The Federal Government has approved three new Federal Polytechnics, as part of efforts to make tertiary education more accessible in the country.
The polytechnics will be sited in Umunnoechi, Abia State, Orogun Delta State, and Kabo in Kano State.
According to a statement by the Director, Press and Public Relations, the Federal Ministry of Education, Ben Bem Goong, the new institutions are to commence academic activities in October 2022.
This brings the number of Federal Polytechnics in the country to 36.
All states of the federations now have one Federal Polytechnic each.
Aliyu Ibrahim.
