Strike: UTAS present process contemporary exams – ASUU

The putting Educational Workers Union of Universities (ASUU) has mentioned the College Transparency and Accountability Resolution (UTAS) is present process one other spherical of exams by the Nationwide Data Expertise Growth Company (NITDA).

That is the third check being carried out on the UTAS accounting software program by the federal government company.

ASUU President, Emmanuel Osodeke, mentioned UTAS handed over 90 per cent within the first and second exams carried out on it, however that NITDA concluded that the cost platform failed some exams.

“On UTAS, we’re going for a 3rd check. Like I advised you, the second, we scored 99 per cent. The check is ongoing,” he mentioned.

Mr Osodeke, who spoke on Human Rights Radio in Abuja on Saturday, additionally touched on a number of points surrounding the continued strike and why the strike has lingered.

ASUU had launched into the present strike on February 14 for an preliminary four-week interval. However following the federal government’s failure to heed the union’s requests, it has continued to roll it over, and it’s now greater than 140 days.

ASUU has beforehand advised PREMIUM TIMES that the deployment of UTAS, which depends on NITDA’s approval, is among the two core calls for of the union. The opposite is the renegotiation of the 2009 settlement that comprises the welfare of the lecturers.

ASUU’s different calls for embody the discharge of white papers on experiences of the presidential visitation panels to universities and the proliferation of universities particularly by the state governments.

When he spoke on Saturday, Mr Osodeke accused NITDA of already “displaying indicators of bias as a result of the ministry is already interfering.”

The ASUU president steered that the exams are being pissed off as a result of his union’s opposition to the professorship awarded the minister of communications and digital financial system, Isa Pantami.

NITDA is an company beneath Mr Pantami’s ministry and ASUU has persistently steered that its opposition to his professorship is stalling the approval certification of UTAS.

NITDA had earlier denied the allegation and mentioned the software program was solely present process due exams.

Assembly Briggs-led committee

In the meantime, ASUU mentioned it has met the Nimi Briggs-led committee on renegotiation of the 2009 settlement, and is hoping that it’s going to not be stalled like that of the Munzali Jibril-led committee.

The ASUU president, who mentioned the suspension of the strike is dependent upon the result of the conferences with the federal government, nonetheless, refused to elaborate on the continued negotiations.

The FGN-ASUU 2009 Munzali Jibril-led renegotiation committee had concluded renegotiation with ASUU and got here up with a draft doc in Could 2021. However the authorities mentioned the suggestions within the draft weren’t possible for implementation.

Talking on autonomy for universities, Mr Osodeke faulted a state of affairs the place universities want permission from the top of service earlier than they will make use of.

He additionally condemned the usage of federal character in employees employment saying the method must be solely by advantage.

“A vice chancellor can not make use of a professor with out getting permission from the top of civil service, which is towards all the foundations on the planet. Who’s a head of civil service in comparison with a vice-chancellor,” he mentioned.

He added: “You use a professor and federal character fee will run after you saying you didn’t comply with federal character precept. By which nation do you utilize federal character to make use of a professor. You use a professor by advantage.”

On the incessant industrial actions by the union, ASUU mentioned the federal government’s insincerity has all the time been the primary driver of its actions.

He recalled how the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan had promised to pay N220 billion yearly for six years, “however failed woefully in implementing the settlement.”

Based on Mr Osodeke, solely N50 billion of that quantity has been paid since 2014.

He mentioned: “He (Mr Jonathan) referred to as us to a gathering and advised us; if we’ve to sit down for 3 days, we’ve to complete the assembly earlier than we go. We met for 14 hours with him and we agreed that N1.3 trillion must be unfold over six years as the federal government can’t simply carry N1.3 trillion at a go. They’d launch N200 billion initially, then yearly they’ll launch N220 billion for the system, which he launched, however we later discovered that he took out from TETFund with out informing the general public.

“However since 2014 and now, this authorities has solely given N50 billion naira for all of the Nigerian public universities, there are about 90 of them now.”

Mr Osodeke additionally condemned the proliferation of universities, particularly by state governors who he famous couldn’t fund them and but go forward to create extra universities.

He mentioned ASUU shouldn’t be towards the creation of recent universities however that the federal government ought to put aside funds to fund them for 5 to 10 years earlier than they begin to profit from TETFund.

Qosim Suleiman is a reporter at Premium Instances in partnership with Report for the World, which matches native newsrooms with proficient rising journalists to report on under-covered points across the globe.