August 28, 2022

Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has called on the Federal Government to sign the renegotiated agreement with the striking members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

Falana in a statement on Sunday, urged both ASUU leadership and the current administration to resume negotiations in order to end the prolonged strike for the overall good of Nigerian students.

“Instead of engaging in the diversionary tactics of blackmailing ASUU the Federal Government should ensure that the strike is called off by signing the Renegotiated Agreement with ASUU without any further delay,” Falana said.

“While calling on both sides to resume the negotiations in the interest of the country the Federal Government should be prevailed upon to end the prolonged industrial action.”

He said the Federal Government should commit itself to the faithful implementation of collective agreements reached with ASUU which are enforceable by virtue of the relevant provisions of the Trade Disputes Act instead of embracing the fascist option of prescribing union.

Falana recalled that the 1992 and 2009 FG/ASUU Agreements stated that the revenue realised from the sale of the properties of the Federal Government abandoned in Lagos when the Federal Capital was moved to Abuja would be channelled towards the funding of tertiary education in the country.

He added that the Federal Government has turned around to selling the properties to private individuals and corporate bodies at low giveaway prices and some of the properties sold to powerful individuals and corporate bodies including a multinational corporation.