ASUU Strike: Key details of the FGN/ASUU Implementation Committee report released in November 2012 *Scan-News presents a detailed analysis of the implementation strategy of the 2009 agreement between FGN/ASUU As the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, seek for a resolution of the current strike action, Scan-News can authoritativelyreveal that the 2009 agreement that has been the bone of contention between the feuding parties was finally consummated in November 2012, contrary to the claims that have been making the rounds. Though the parties signed the agreement on October 21, 2009, a 2009 Agreement Implementation Monitoring Committee, IMC, met and fashioned out the implementation strategy between 12TH JANUARY, 2010 TO OCTOBER, 2012. A report of the IMC which comprised officials of the FGN and ASUU over the period obtained by Scan-News clearly revealed that attempts by some university administrators to doctor funds and salaries to be paid to ASUU members and the poor nature of data released at every turn negatively affected the implementation process. According to the report: “On 21st October, 2009, after a painstaking and rigorous deliberations; the FGN/ASUU Agreement 2009 was signed. Dr. B. O. Babalakin, SAN, OFR, Chairman, Committee of Pro-Chancellors (CPC), Federal Universities and the Chairman, FGN/University Unions Re-negotiation Committees signed on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN), while the President of ASUU signed on behalf of the Union. “In line with the Agreements and in order to ensure a faithful implementation of the 2009 Agreement, the Federal Government on 12th January 2010 set-up an Implementation Monitoring Committee (IMC), comprising some eminent Nigerians, the representativesof the relevant Government agencies and the Union, under the leadership of the Chairman, Committee of Pro-Chancellors(CPC), Federal Universities, Dr. B. O. Babalakin, SAN, OFR. Members of the Committee were: • Mrs. E. Ori Ekojokwu - Federal Ministry of Education • Elder Felix Orumwense, JP - Senate Comm. on Education • Prof. Don Baridam - Chairman, CVC (Fed. Universities) • Justice Adolphus Karibi-Whyte - Chairman, CPC (Sate Universities) • Prof. F. I. Idike - Chairman, CVC (State Universities) • Mr. S. A. Ajibola - Fed. Min. of Labour & Productivity • Mal. Hassan Sallau - Budget Office of the Federation • Mrs. Taiwo Oluwakemi - National Planning Commission • Prof. Ukachukwu Awuzie - ASUU President • Dr. Abdullahi Sule-Kano - ASUU • Dr. Nasir F. Isa - ASUU • Dr. Suleiman D. Abdul - ASUU • Prof. Emmanuel E. Okoegwale - ASUU • Mr. B. C. Odum - NUC/Secretary “The Federal Ministry of Education (FME) was later represented by Mr. W. A. Iweama, following the retirement of Mrs. E. Ori Okojokwu, and later Mr. Mohammed N. Abubakar. Similarly, the CVC Federal Universities was later represented by Prof. Ikenna Onyido and Prof. Is-haq O. Oloyede, at the expiration of their various tenures as Chairman, CVC, Federal Universities.” Another portion of the report of the IMC stated that: Salary Structure for Academic Staff in Nigerian Universities “It was agreed that there shall be a separate Salary Structure for University Academic staff to be known as Consolidated University Academic Salary Structure II (CONUASS II), made up of the following components: “(a) The Consolidated Salary Structure for Academic Staff (CONUASS) approved by the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) effective 1st January 2007 (FGN Circular SWC/S/04/S.309/1, dated 18th January, 2007). “(b) Consolidated Peculiar University Academic Allowances (CONPUAA), exclusively for university teaching staff and derived from allowances not adequately reflected or not consolidated in CONUASS. “(c) Rent as approved by the FGN effective 1st January 2007 (FGN Circular SWC/S/04/S.309/1, dated 18th January, 2007). “The Implementation Monitoring Committee (IMC), noted with satisfaction that this Agreement is being implemented and commends the Federal Government for the regular payment of salaries of the Academic staff in the Nigerian Federal Universities.” The committee in line with the agreement entered into by both parties in 2009 spelt out the earned allowances of the university teachers and specific areas where such allowances are to be earned. The implementation of this aspect has been the crisis point, as ASUU leadership insists that every kobo be paid. “Earned Academic Allowances: It was agreed that entitled academic staff shall be paid the following earned allowances at the rates indicated for undertaking the listed assignments. (a) Post-Graduate Supervision Allowance (i) Lecturer I N15,000 per student, per annum (ii) Senior Lecturer N20,000 per student, per annum (iii) Reader & Professor N25,000 per student, per annum “This allowance shall be paid to the entitled academic staff for a maximum of 5 students per annum. (b) Teaching Practice/Industrial Supervision/Field Trip Allowances (i) Assistant Lecturer – Lecturer I - N60,000 per annum (ii) Senior Lecturer - N80,000 per annum (iii) Reader & Professor - N100,000 per annum “Where the work involves travelling out of town, the usual mileage and night allowances shall be paid in line with the existing Government regulations. Also, where a staff is involved in more than one of the above activities in a given year, he or she shall be remunerated separately for each activity. “(c) Honoraria for External/Internal Examiner (Postgraduate Thesis) External (i) Master’s degree N80,000 per thesis (ii) Doctorate degree N105,000 per thesis Internal (i) Master’s degree N45,000 per thesis (ii) Doctorate degree N65,000 per thesis (d) Honoraria for External Moderation of Undergraduate and Postgraduate Examinations (i) Undergraduate Up to 50 Candidates N60,000 more than 50 candidates N80,000 (ii) Postgraduate Up to 10 Candidates N60,000 more than 10 candidates N80,000 (e) Postgraduate Study Grant (i) Science based Master’s degree N350,000 per session Doctorate degree N500,000 per session (ii) Non-Science based Master’s degree N250,000 per session Doctorate degree N350,000 per session “The above grant is to encourage young academics to obtain higher relevant qualification and remain on the job, provided that they do not exceed the normal years of the approved programmes i.e. Two (2) academic sessions for a Master degree, Four (4) academic sessions for a Doctorate Degree programme.” The report also spelt out the following other allowances for the university lecturers and administrators: ” It was agreed that Call Duty/Clinical Duty/Clinical Hazard Allowance shall be paid to entitled academics as in the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) circular reference number SWC/S/04/S.309 of 18th January, 2007 on approved Four Non-regular Allowances in the Public Service, and also as in the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) circular reference number SWC/S/04/S.309 of 7th March, 2007 on approved Four Non-regular Allowances in the Public Service. “(h) Responsibility Allowance It was agreed that Responsibility Allowance shall be paid annually as follows: i. Deputy Vice-Chancellor/Librarian N750,000 ii. Provost/Dean/Director N500, 000 iii. Deputy/Vice/Associate Dean or Provost N350,000 iv. Head of Dept./Sub Dean N250,000 v. Fac./Dept Exam Officer N150,000 vi. Hall Warden N150,000 vii. All other Officers N150, 000 “(j) Excess Workload Allowance It was agreed that Excess Workload Allowance, which shall be phased out without delay, shall be paid only to entitled academic staff as follows: i. Professor N3, 500 per hour ii. Reader N3, 500 per hour iii. Senior Lecturer N3, 500 per hour vi. Lecturer I N2, 000 per hour v. Lecturer II N2, 000 per hour vi. Assistant Lecturer N2, 000 per hour vii. Graduate Assistant N2, 000 per hour” This highlighted portion details the challenges faced by the Federal Government which led to the difficulty in the implementation of the earned allowances, which has led to the closure of the schools in over three months. “ The Implementation Monitoring Committee (IMC), at its first sitting, decided that for effective implementation of the Agreement, it would be proper to work out the total cost of paying Earned Allowances to University staff, in order to advise the Federal Government appropriately. The first effort made by IMC, on 9th November, 2010, to obtain accurate data from the Universities, for this purpose was not productive due to inadequate information from most Federal Universities, caused by lack of understanding of the instruction sent out to them. “In September, 2011, on the order of the Honourable Minister of Education, Professor Ruqayyatu Ahamed Rufai, the Universities made fresh submissions in line with an approved template the summary of which amounted to One Hundred and Six billion, Seven Hundred and Forty-Three Million, Five Hundred and Thirty-Nine Thousand, Three Hundred and Twenty-Two Naira only (N106,743,539,322.00). This information was forwarded to the Federal Government through the Honourable Minister, for approval. “The Federal Government, vide its letter dated 24th January, 2012, to ASUU, and copied IMC, accepted in principle, the payment of the agreed earned allowances and consequently, expanded the mandate of IMC, to include proposing a practical and sustainable way of paying the earned allowances to the Federal University Staff.” Scan-News gleaned from the report that the IMC, which comprised ASUU and FGN officials agreed that the figures sent by the respective universities were unrealistic and unimplementable. According to the report: ” In response to the new mandate, IMC reviewed the submissions made by the Universities and again found the information supplied to be unrealistic and unimplementable. A fresh template was therefore redesigned and the Universities were requested to make another submission with a clear instruction on what was required.” Below is the summary of the response of 26 universities to the requested earned allowances: U N I O N S YEAR ASUU SSANU NAAT NASU GRAND TOTAL ₦ ₦ ₦ ₦ ₦ 2009 15,915,156,040 5,373,928,227 1,436,194,240 3,718,805,319 26,444,083,826 2010 23,822,389,238 9,025,576,122 2,520,424,072 5,759,765,232 41,128,154,664 2011 25,272,126,609 9,281,057,660 2,519,968,739 6,129,780,742 43,202,933,749 2012 28,212,024,708 9,845,006, 358 2,729,921,503 6,382,601,435 47,169,554,005 GRAND / SUB-TOTAL 93,221,696, 594 33,525,568,366 9,206,508,555 21,990,952,728 157,994,726,244 The IMC noted that following which is highlighted: The IMC found the above submissions to be unrealistic having observed that: • Some Universities presented the earned allowances for the whole of 2009, instead of a period of six months, from July to December 2009; • The amount for excess workload for academic staff appeared to be on the high side for most Universities. • The excess workload for non-academic staff is not based on any formula. It appeared to be an award for all entitled staff using the maximum of 52 hours. • Hazard allowances were extended to all non-teaching staff, in spite of its being restricted to those working in laboratories, workshops, studios and clinics. • Industrial Training Supervision, Teaching Practice and Field Trip allowances were awarded across board to non-Teaching staff, and • Call duty allowance is funded from Government appropriations in line with Federal Government prevailing circular SWC/S/04/S.309 of 18th January, 2009 and SWC/S/04/S.309 of 7th March, 2007 on approved non-regular allowances in public services. To ensure the successful implementation of the earned allowances, the IMC made the following suggestions to the Federal Government: A cost sharing formula whereby the Federal Government bears the cost implication of allowances it clearly accepted in the 2009 agreements and the Universities bear the cost of allowances that are subject to approval by their individual Governing Councils. This will approximate to 88% of the total cost to be borne by the Federal Government and 12% by the Universities. In the interim, the sum of ₦3.5 billion for each of the first generation universities, ₦2.5 billion naira for the second generation Universities, ₦2 billion for the third generation Universities, ₦50 million for fourth generation Universities, and ₦500 million naira for FUPR, Effurun be made available for the payment of the earned allowances; • Alternatively, consider between 15% and 20% of the 2012 Personnel Cost Appropriation to Federal Universities/Inter University Centres should be earmarked for the payment of the earned allowances. This should be multiplied by 3.5 years for the old Universities. For the nine (9) new Universities, 5% of their approved 2012 Personnel Cost Appropriation should be used; • The amount proposed above should be released to the IMC and payment will only be effected after verification and approval by the IMC or NUC in the absence of the IMC; and • Reviewing the formula for the excess work load Allowance with a view to bringing the amount to a sustainable level. On the funding of the universities, the IMC agreed that the Federal Government needs to invest N1.5trillion in the period of three years, beginning 2009 and ending 2011. Incidentally, the IMC concluded its report in November 2012. The breakdown is as follows: Year Amount (N) 2009 472,031,575,919 2010 497,531,778,701 2011 548,768,190,681 Total 1, 518, 331, 545, 304 The IMC made the following suggestion: “The goal of this negotiation is to put Nigeria in a strong position to become a knowledge-basedsociety that will be able to compete and survive in the 21st Century. “To achieve this goal, the entire education system requires massive funding at all levels. While non-budgetary sources have a role to play, and there must be continuous efforts to identify and use them prudently, the major source of funding education for national development is through budgetary allocation from State and Federal Governments. With this in view, the Re-negotiation Committee recommended that: • A minimum of 26% of the annual budget of the State and Federal Governments be allocated to education; • At least 50% of the budgeted 26% shall be allocated to the universities; and, • The representation of the Federal Ministry of Education to the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Commission to put education on the “First Charge” be pursued to a logical conclusion.” According to the IMC report: “The IMC noted that the Federal Government has consistently improved the level of fund provided to run the education sector aimed at achieving the 26% financial budgetary allocation to education sector as enunciated in the UNESCO benchmark. The IMC commends the effort of the Federal Government in restructuring the former Education Trust Fund (ETF) now renamed Tertiary Education Fund (TETFund) to respond adequately to the developmental needs of the Nigerian tertiary institutions only. The IMC noted that most Federal Universities have set-up Budget Monitoring Committees, with the exception of few that are yet to comply. The Honourable Minister of Education has promised to write to all erring Universities, with a view to enforcing compliance.” The IMC noted that there are 11 areas where the FG had not taken constructive measures to resolve contending issues. The areas include: Transfer of landed property, use of PTDF funds, patronage of university services by the FG and States, funds from alumni and private sector contributions. Other areas include, cost saving measures, duty free importation of educational materials, setting up of research departments by companies, university rolling plan, post doctoral research development fund and provision of teaching and research development funds. The following is the concluding paragraph of the IMC report: “As the Committee, finally, winds-up its activities in November, 2012, it is hoped that the Federal Government and the individual University Governing Councils would take appropriate measures to sufficiently address all the outstanding issues in the 2009 FGN/ASUU Agreement. Also, that the Federal Government and ASUU endeavour to keep to their agreement of ensuring that in the pursuit of their avowed goals, both parties would respect the sanctity of the regular university calendar and commit themselves to the primacy of dialogue and internal due process over and above those tactics that undermine and disrupt good order in the conduct of university business and strict adherence to the provisions of prescribed minimum academic standards.” As VP Sambo leads crisis talks to finally put paid to the incessant strike by ASUU, disrupting the nation’s academic calendar, it is necessary to point out that the current strike did not follow the agreement reached at the last meeting in January 2012, before the IMC implementation strategy was teased out. ASUU commenced the strike action abruptly without concluding the process of dialogue which had been on and which led to the setting up of the NEEDS ASSESSMENT COMMITTEE by President Jonathan. Scan-News also gathered that the Federal Government on its part failed to commence the implementation of the 2009 agreement in November 2012, which indicated that at the time of the commencement of the strike, the FG had been in default for eight months. However, most important is the fact that sources at the Federal Ministry of Labour told Scan-News that ASUU officials have stalled all attempts by the Federal Government to conduct a census of students and lecturers in all Federal Universities in order to ascertain the actual lecturer-student ratio. Therefore, the present figures that have been operational are based on assumptions as ASUU members are yet to return forms issued to them by the relevant Federal Government agencies. The Present stalement is also because ASUU leadership has objected to any form of verification exercise. However, beyond the issue of the resolution of the current strike action is the need for Nigerians to hold lecturers and school administrators accountable. The era of unfounded demands on students for funds for the supervision of projects, money for hand-outs and money for over-time is over. Nigerian students and parents must place a demand on the university administrators and lecturers on productivity. The man-hours invested by senior academics in Nigeria are progressively damaging to our system. The lecturers receive their entitlements, only to hand over supervision to younger academics or even students. Scan-News believes that Nigerians must in addition to requesting the government to play her role, support disciplinary measures by university governing councils on the productivity of academic staff. At present, students are consistently at the receiving end of all actions and inactions in our universities. Today, most parents, whether rich or poor strive to educate their children in private universities with less qualified lecturers with less welfare packages. However, these lecturers render diligent service because they are held accountable
Posted on: Sun, 22 Sep 2013 16:20:42 +0000
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