Categories
AFNewsNG Logo
Education Special Report

Why I Should Not Be Blamed For ASUU Strike -Chris Ngige Reveals Details

Faith Ukanwa

Apr 20, 2022

mail
The minister for Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, has exonerated himself from the incessant industrial strike action of the Academic Union of Universities (ASUU).

READ ALSO: VIDEO: I Can Buy Your Bar 10 Times - Davido Lashes out At A Ghanaian Bar

Formally declaring to contest for the 2023 presidential position, at St. Mary's Catholic Church Alor, Idemili South local government area of Anambra State on Tuesday, April 19, 2022, Ngige said the information that he is to be blamed for the strikes by labour unions is false.

READ ALSO: Education and Empowerment

He maintained that the Federal government of Nigeria is not owing ASUU salaries rather, they are clamoring for academic and earned allowances piled up from previous administration.

READ ALSO: Otti Declares Education the Key to Nigeria's Future at Nile University Convocation

All Facts Newspaper had reported that Chris Ngige advised ASUU to resolve to channeling their grievances to the Federal ministry of Education, occupy the corridors of the ministry, singing and clapping instead of embarking on strike. READ HERE

READ ALSO: Nigerian Scholar, Jonathan Earns Second Master's Degree with Distinction in the UK

Addressing a crowd of supporters on Tuesday, Ngige noted that he is not the employer of members of the union, however, he performs his own duty of conciliation, arbitration and persuasion to ensure that the issues are resolved.

READ ALSO: DANGER: Packaging food in polythene bags causes cancer - NAFDAC

Ngige said;

READ ALSO: HATE SPEECH BILL, CRAZY IDEA - BISHOP OYEDEPO BLOWS HOT

Some persons have been feeding the public with wrong information that my office is to blame for the incessant strikes by labour unions,ÔÇØ

READ ALSO: ABIA (INSECURITY): Suspected Killer Herdsmen Still On Rampage In Umunneochi LGA | READ WITNESS'S ACCOUNT

"In the case of the university unions, it is important to make it clear that the Federal Government is not owing them salaries and wages rather, what is being owed is a carry-over of allowances (Earned Academic Allowances/Earned Allowances) from the past administration and that the carry-over is being paid in installment, under a negotiated agreement. In one or two occasions that government defaulted for lack of revenue to pay, it was properly rescheduled.

READ ALSO: We Cannot Achieve Our Desires By Wielding AK 47 - Lucky Igbokwe Tells Ndi Igbo

"Unfortunately, detractors have told unions that Ngige is their problem. How can the Minister of Labour be their problem when he is not their employer?

READ ALSO: Nnamdi Kanu Is Sick, May Die In DSS Custody - Lawyer, Ozekhome | READ DETAILS

The Minister of Labour is neither a member of the Governing Council of universities nor the Minister of Education or Finance. The same goes for health workers and doctors.

READ ALSO: Sure Foundation College of Nursing Sciences Launches Seamless Online Admission Portal - Here's Why You Should Apply Now

The government side and the fixers of salaries and wages met with them and told them what they are able to pay, which is an ILO principle of Negotiation - Capacity and ability to pay. Instead of following up with negotiations, they would turn around to blame the Minister.

READ ALSO: Oxford Dictionary Adds 'Mammy Market', 'Amala', Other Nigerian Words To Glossary

"For example ASUU invented a payment platform, called UTAS . UTAS has been subjected to necessary tests by National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) which said it cannot recommend the system for use, having passed User Acceptability test, but failed Integrity and Credibility test.

READ ALSO: RECOGNITION REVEALED: UNILAG Honours Dr. Desmond Anyaso with Bronze Partnership Award

ASUU said Ngige can do the magic, to force NITDA to clear UTAS and also force the Ministry of Finance to deploy it. This magic is beyond me.

READ ALSO: VIDEO: I Can Buy Your Bar 10 Times - Davido Lashes out At A Ghanaian Bar

They ascribed the powers I don't have to my office.

READ ALSO: Education and Empowerment

"However, conciliation and arbitration is within the ambit of my Ministry and we are doing whatever we can , including persuasion, and subtly moving into other ministries, to try to pressure them, in order to resolve some of the issues. I'm a concerned parent whose children are also in the public universities in Nigeria. In the Seventh Senate , I championed the cause of labour. How then can I turn around to stop the progress of these institutions? God forbid!ÔÇØ

Related Stories

""

— Faith Ukanwa

Join the Conversation

Signed in as Member