Education

We won’t make gunpoint negotiations with ASUU, says FG

Published

4 years ago

March 14, 2022

ASUU, FG in a meeting

THE Federal Ministry of Education has said it will not enter into agreements with the Academic Staff Union of Universities under duress.

The ministry called on ASUU to call off its strike “so that we will not have gunpoint negotiations and make promises that we will not be able to fulfil.”

The ministry’s spokesman, Ben Goong, made this known in an interview with The PUNCH on Sunday.

Our correspondent also gathered that the National Executive Council of the union, which is currently meeting at the University of Abuja, would announce the final decision on whether to proceed with an indefinite strike or suspend the current industrial action today (Monday).

The National President, ASUU, Emmanuel Osodeke, confirmed that the NEC was indeed meeting, but refused to make further comments.

“The NEC is meeting and details will be communicated,” the ASUU president simply said.

However, a high ranking source in the NEC told our correspondent that the union would have no choice but to go on full blown strike as the government had failed to do anything tangible to meet its demands.

“The government has not done any tangible thing since the announcement of the warning strike. As much as we are not happy about going on strike, I am afraid to say that we have no choice this time. However, the final decision lies with the NEC,” the source said.

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However, Goong stated, “The government has done something tangible. Even The PUNCH has been reporting some of the things that the government did to avert this strike. If I were ASUU, I would call off the strike and that is what we are telling ASUU to do. Call off the strike so that nobody will be negotiating out of duress. If you continue the strike, we will have agreements at gunpoint with you.

“If they stay on the strike, in a desperate attempt to make sure that the universities are re-opened, we will make agreements under duress. We are not in a state of war that you must be on strike before you negotiate. You say it is a warning strike and the government has begun the implementation of agreements, it is only normal that you call off your strike, but it is as if they have that mindset of a strike.”

Meanwhile, fresh crises have risen following the declaration by the Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency, Kashifu Inuwa, that the University Transparency and Accountability Solution, created by ASUU in lieu of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System for the payment of university lecturers, has failed an integrity test.

ASUU, in a statement on Sunday, accused Inuwa of deliberately misinforming the public and invited the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, as well as the NITDA boss to a public debate over the integrity of UTAS.

The statement by Osodeke, read in part, “The one-month roll-over strike by our union on February 14, 2022, has entered its fourth week. During this period, we have been having engagements with the government over the contending issues that necessitated the action. One of the contending issues is the deployment of the UTAS, which is a robust software created by the ASUU technical group to manage personnel and payroll in the university system.

“The Federal Government had referred UTAS to NITDA to conduct user acceptance test and vulnerability test assessment and penetration test prior to the final deployment. The process, which commenced on Thursday, March 3, is still ongoing.

“This press statement is necessitated by the need for ASUU to put the records straight on the grounds already covered in our patriotic struggle to get the government to deploy UTAS as a suitable solution for salary payment.

“Of special concern is the statement credited to both the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy and the Director-General of NITDA to the effect that UTAS had failed the integrity test. Let us put it on record that an integrity test was carried out by NITDA on August 10, 2021, in the NUC, where relevant government agencies and all the end-users in the university system were present.”

“At the end of the exercise, all without exception expressed satisfaction with UTAS. This was attested to the effect that UTAS scored 85 per cent in the User Acceptance Test.”

PUNCH

Related Topics:ASUU Featured FG gunpoint

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Education

Ogun Gov Rewards Nigeria’s Best Primary School Teacher with Car, Bungalow

Published

6 hours ago

February 20, 2026

Trends Admin

Ogun Gov Rewards Nigeria’s Best Primary School Teacher Solanke Francis Taiwo with Car and Bungalow

Ogun Gov Rewards Nigeria’s Best Primary School Teacher with Car, Bungalow

Ogun Gov Rewards Nigeria’s Best Primary School Teacher Solanke Francis Taiwo with Car and Bungalow

The Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has honoured Mr Solanke Francis Taiwo, a primary school teacher at Ansa‑Ur‑Deen Main School I, Kemta Lawa, Abeokuta, with a brand new car and a two‑bedroom bungalow in recognition of his achievement as Nigeria’s Overall Best Primary School Teacher for the 2025/2026 academic year.

The presentation took place at the Governor’s Office in Oke‑Mosan, Abeokuta, with the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof Abayomi Arigbagbu, and the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mr Oloko, in attendance. The gifts were part of a broader effort to motivate teachers, reward professional excellence, and highlight the state’s education reforms.

Speaking at the event, Prof Arigbagbu said the award demonstrates the effectiveness of the Ogun State Education Revitalisation Agenda, which is built on six pillars including curriculum enhancement, school administration, innovation, infrastructure, funding, and teachers’ welfare. “When you do things consistently and efficiently, you record results. This same teacher won the Ogun State Best Teacher Award in October before clinching the national award in Abuja. This confirms that our education sector has been truly revitalised,” he said.

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Ogun Gov Rewards Nigeria’s Best Primary School Teacher Solanke Francis Taiwo with Car and Bungalow

He highlighted the state’s successes in national competitions, including the JETS contests, where Ogun students won 18 out of 24 awards in one year, with a single student claiming nine prizes. The commissioner also noted that Ogun’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) model and education digitisation initiatives have attracted attention from other states and received commendation from the Federal Government and the National Board for Technical Education.

Governor Abiodun reaffirmed his commitment to teacher development, pledging continuous support through workshops, seminars, digital learning platforms, and AI-powered instructional tools. He said the gifts of a car and bungalow are intended to inspire other educators to strive for excellence and innovation in their teaching.

In his remarks, Mr Solanke expressed gratitude to the governor and the education ministry for fostering an enabling environment for teaching and learning. He vowed to continue improving student learning outcomes and collaborating with colleagues to ensure that Ogun State remains a leader in education excellence.

“I feel fulfilled and honoured. I will continue to give my best and encourage fellow teachers to remain dedicated to nurturing the potential of every student,” he said.

The recognition of Mr Solanke reflects Ogun State’s strategic investment in education, commitment to teacher welfare, and the effectiveness of policies that have positioned the state as a model for academic excellence in Nigeria.

Ogun Gov Rewards Nigeria’s Best Primary School Teacher with Car, Bungalow

Education

Over 1.5 Million Candidates Registered as JAMB UTME Pin Vending Nears Deadline

Published

2 days ago

February 19, 2026

Trends Admin

Over 1.5 Million Candidates Registered as JAMB UTME Pin Vending Nears Deadline

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has confirmed that more than 1.5 million candidates have registered for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), as the deadline for e‑PIN vending and registration rapidly approaches.

In a statement released in Abuja by the board’s Public Communication Advisor, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, the board said the sale of e‑PINs — required for candidates to proceed with registration at accredited centers — will close at midnight on Thursday, February 26, 2026, while actual registration at centres will end on Saturday, February 28, 2026.

According to JAMB, its daily registration capacity stands at 100,000 candidates, but most centres are currently operating at roughly 30 per cent capacity, indicating that a significant number of eligible candidates have yet to register. The board emphasised that there will be no extension of the registration window, explaining that the schedule aligns with the national examination calendar and is coordinated to allow other examination bodies to conduct their exercises without conflict.

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JAMB urged candidates to secure their e‑PINs early and complete registration at accredited CBT centres without delay. The board warned that last-minute registration could result in avoidable challenges and reiterated that it will not entertain appeals for deadline extensions.

The 2026 UTME is scheduled to hold from April 16 to April 25 and will determine admission into universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education across Nigeria. JAMB also assured candidates that all testing centres would have adequate security, technical support, and invigilation to ensure a smooth and credible examination process.

Education experts and stakeholders have encouraged candidates to register promptly and take advantage of preparatory resources offered online and at local centres. State education authorities have also organised orientation programmes to guide students through registration, examination, and post-UTME procedures.

JAMB continues to provide updates and guidance through its official portal and social media channels, ensuring that candidates have access to information about registration, examination procedures, and exam day requirements.

Over 1.5 Million Candidates Registered as JAMB UTME Pin Vending Nears Deadline

Education

BREAKING: Academic Activities Halted as ASUU Resumes Strike

Published

2 days ago

February 18, 2026

Trends Admin

BREAKING: Academic Activities Halted as ASUU Resumes Strike

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Taraba State University (TSU) branch, has resumed an indefinite strike, citing the failure of the Taraba State Government to honour agreements reached earlier with the union.

The industrial action comes weeks after ASUU suspended its earlier strike following negotiations held on January 17, 2025, a move the union said was done in good faith to allow the government time to meet its commitments. According to ASUU, those promises were not fulfilled, forcing lecturers to withdraw their services again.

In a statement issued in Jalingo, the ASUU TSU branch chairman, Joshua Garba Mbave, said the government failed to take practical and verifiable steps toward resolving the lingering issues affecting staff welfare.

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The union said its congress meeting held on February 18, 2026, reviewed developments since the suspension of the strike and unanimously agreed to resume the total, comprehensive, and indefinite strike.

ASUU listed several unresolved demands, including unpaid salary arrears, non-payment of Earned Academic Allowances, the absence of a functional pension scheme for university workers, and the failure to implement the 2025 ASUU–Federal Government agreement applicable to state-owned universities.

Dr. Mbave warned that the continued neglect of these issues has crippled staff morale, worsened economic hardship for lecturers, and disrupted academic stability at Taraba State University. He stressed that sustained dialogue with the Taraba State Government had produced no concrete outcome.

As a result of the renewed strike, academic activities at Taraba State University have been suspended indefinitely, with students advised to remain at home until further notice.