A Short Note to my Colleagues on the 2009 FG-ASUU Agreement and the Mobilisation for the Renewed Battle

A promised Renewed Hope comes with a Renewed Struggle. The ASUU mobilisation, sensitisation, and demands from FG have ignited some questions from colleagues. The questions revolve around prioritising the welfare of academics. While the demanded welfare was well captured in the 2009 Agreement for renegotiation, there were comments that the Union should stop "hiding" under the renegotiation of the 2009 Agreement and come out to demand for salary increase. Although I agree that our welfare should be prioritised, we need to first be aware of the content of the 2009 FG-ASUU Agreement before getting into any argument.

The 2009 FG-ASUU Agreement was a 51-page document with 6 chapters and 5 Appendices. Chapter 1 is the preamble while chapter 2 is the Modus oprandi. The main business started from Chapter 3 which was on the Conditions of Service.

Chapter 3, Conditions of Service, comprises 6 sections. The first section was on SALARY STRUCTURE FOR ACADEMIC STAFF IN NIGERIAN UNIVERSITIES. It was in this section that the salary we are earning from 2009 to date was agreed upon. It was meant to be reviewed in 2012 as agreed in section 6.4b of the agreement. The government, since President Goodluck Jonathan's administration, is yet to do that. So that is a welfare (salary package) that ASUU is requesting for its renegotiation. It came first.

The second section of Chapter 3 was on EARNED ACADEMIC ALLOWANCES (EAA). We all know the state of EAA. It is not paid despite a recent agreement that it will be mainstreamed into the budget annually. Even though it's not paid as it should and the demand for the payment of the backlog is on the ASUU demand list, there is the need to renegotiate it considering the current economic reality. Why not advocate that the Union should ask our Negotiation Team to negotiate that a renegotiated EAA be included in the renegotiated monthly salary. EAA is another welfare with financial benefits that ASUU wants to renegotiate in the 2009 Agreement.

The third section of Chapter 3 was on NON-SALARY CONDITIONS OF SERVICE. This includes Vehicle loan/Car Refurbishing loan, Housing loan, Research leave, Sabbatical leave, Annual leave, Sick leave, Maternity leave, Injury pension, Staff School, and Provision of Office Accommodation and Facilities. That's another non-salary welfare for renegotiation.

The fourth section of Chapter 3 was on PENSION FOR UNIVERSITY ACADEMIC STAFF AND COMPULSORY

RETIREMENT AGE. The 70-year retirement age was implemented by President Umaru Musa Yar'adua. However, the agreement that an academic staff who retires as a Professor in a recognised University shall be entitled to a pension at a rate equivalent to his annual salary is yet to be implemented. This provision is yet to be reformulated in the Pension Reform Act of 2024. That is another welfare on the 2009 Agreement for renegotiation. Or do you want the Union to abandon it?

The fifth section of Chapter 3 was on the FORMATION OF THE NIGERIAN UNIVERSITY PENSION FUND ADMINISTRATOR. That has been achieved as NUPENCO.

The sixth section was on NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE SCHEME (NHIS). The University Health Centres were never part of NHIS when it was established. The 2009 Agreement got the UHCs into the NHIS Scheme.

Chapter 4 was on FUNDING and this is now captured as the Revitalization Fund that the government has refused to release.

Chapter 5 was on agreement on the SOURCES OF FUNDING for universities. There was a long list in that regard. It was the agreement that transformed ETF to TETFund in 2009.

Chapter 5 was on the University Autonomy and Academic Freedom.

The last chapter, chapter 6, was on other matters. These include Priority Areas of Implementation,  Machinery for Implementation Monitoring of the Agreement, effective Date of the Agreement, Periodic Review of the Agreement, etc.

Dear colleagues, the frontline items on the agreement to be renegotiated are WELFARE, WELFARE, and WELFARE. When you pick out JUST salary for renegotiation, what happens to EAA and the other non-salary welfare?

Meanwhile, the renegotiation of the 2009 Agreement was nearly completed in 2022 by the Nimi Briggs Committee and a draft report was submitted for signing before Ngige started a media blackmail. If you can recall, that one of the forces of darkness in Buhari's government was on air accusing the committee of colluding with ASUU to fix some millions of naira as salaries for professors. The committee had to go on paid advertorial in national dailies to debunk the lies. The blackmail was created around agreed-upon proposed salaries so that the draft agreement would not be signed. Then, you got the take-it-or-leave-it Award and nothing else.

FG is known to be notorious for not implementing agreements, that is not a hidden reality. Even if you pick up a single item such as a Salary increase, for renegotiation, it is still a matter of collective bargaining. You can't impose it on them. It must be agreed upon and documents signed. How sure are you that the government will agree to sign it willingly? Except you are willing to embrace another take-it-or-leave-it Award.

Dear comrades, there is an African proverb that says: "The chameleon is never afraid of colours" It was our struggle that got our universities this far and we can't be afraid of intimidation. Another proverb says: "A needle may look small but can never be swallowed by any fowl". It's a joke to think that ASUU wings can be clipped. We must sensitise our students and parents and mobilise behind our leaders at all branches for the RENEWED struggle. RENEWED HOPE comes with RENEWED STRUGGLE. We are strong but together we stand stronger.

Nimi Briggs' Draft Report must be brought out and our public universities must survive. Our public universities must not tow the path of public primary and secondary schools that we have lost.

Awa Lo Kan (It is our turn). We have a right to affordable quality education.

By

Prof. Abdelghaffar Amoka Abdelmalik, PhD.
Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
aaabdelmalik@abu.edu.ng.

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