President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the membership of a Federal Government Team to renegotiate the 2009 agreement with the staff unions in the Federal Universities, Federal Polytechnics and Federal Colleges of Education, with a view to engendering sustainable peace and industrial harmony in tertiary institutions.
According to statement issued on Friday by the directorate of Public Communication, Ministry of Education, the 16-member team is chaired by Wale Babalakin, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).
Babalakin, who was adjudged the best pro-chancellor at the time of the negotiations in 2009, headed the agreement implementation committee then.In a related development, President Buhari has approved there constitution of the governing councils of University of Port Harcourt and Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, which were dissolved in the recent crises that engulfed the two institutions.
The new governing councils would serve for a term of four years, in the first instance, effective from December 28, 2016.
Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu who announced these today,said that the re-negotiation team will dialogue with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) and Non Academic Staff Union of
Associated &Allied Institutions (NASU).
The government team comprises the following:
1. Dr. Wale Babalakin, SAN; (Chairman)
2. Prof. M.M. Jibril, Pro-Chancellor, Federal University, Lafia;
3. Prof. Nimi Briggs, Pro-Chancellor, Federal University, Lokoja;
4. Senator Gbemisola Saraki, Pro-Chancellor, Federal University, Otuoke;
5. Arc. Lawrence Ngbale, Pro-Chancellor, Federal University, Birnin Kebbi;
6. Prince Alex Mbata, Pro-Chancellor, Imo State University, Owerri;
7. Prof. Olufemi Bamiro, Pro-Chancellor, Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijagun;
8. Representatives, Federal Ministry of Education;
9. Representative, Federal Ministry of Labour & Employment;
10 Representative, Federal Ministry of Finance;
11. Representative, Federal Ministry of Justice;
12. Representative, Federal Ministry of Budget & National Planning;
13. Representative of the National Salaries, Incomes & Wages Commission (NSIWC);
14. Representative of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF)
