ASUU Threat: FG Sets Up Committee On Varsities’ Governing Councils

Federal government has set up a committee to ensure the reconstitution of the governing councils of 61 federal universities.

This came barely a day after the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) gave a two-week ultimatum for the councils to be reconstituted to avoid an industrial action.

Addressing a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday, ASUU president, Prof Emmanuel Osodeke, said Nigerians should hold the federal and state governments responsible if the matter of the governing councils is allowed to snowball into an avoidable industrial crisis.

The briefing followed its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, between Saturday, May 11 and Sunday, May 12, 2024.

At the meeting, the union undertook a dispassionate and comprehensive review of the status of its engagements with the federal and state governments on how to reposition Nigeria‘s public universities for global reckoning and competitiveness.

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But yesterday, the executive secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), Dr. Chris Maiyaka, disclosed this in Abuja yesterday, during an interaction with the press.

The NUC boss, who is also a member of the committee, appealed to the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to trust the ability of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in delivering on his promises.

It would be recalled that President Tinubu’s administration had in June 2023 dissolved all the governing councils in federal universities in the country.

As the universities continued to operate without governing councils for over eleven months, stakeholders, including ASUU have expressed concerns, calling for its immediate reconstitution.

However, Maiyaka said, “Government is working to reconstitute the governing councils of 61 federal universities.

“Government is taking time to make sure that the most qualified people are brought in so that they can deliver on Mr. President‘s renewed hope agenda.”

The NUC boss added that as part of the plan, as soon as the governing councils are reconstituted, they would undergo orientation course in order to perform well.