Buhari picks Babalakin to lead FG’s negotiation with ASUU

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved a 14-member team led by Wale Babalakin, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), to renegotiate the 2009 agreement with Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

Adamu Adamu, minister of education, disclosed this in a statement, saying the team would also dialogue with the, Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) and Non Academic Staff Union of Associated & Allied Institutions (NASU).

He said this is geared towards ensuring sustainable peace and industrial harmony in the nation’s tertiary institutions.

Apart from Babalakin, other members of the team are: M.M. Jibril, pro-chancellor, Federal University, Lafia; Nimi Briggs, pro-chancellor, Federal University, Lokoja; Gbemisola Saraki, pro-chancellor, Federal University, Otuoke; Lawrence Ngbale, pro-chancellor, Federal University, Birnin Kebbi, Alex Mbata, pro-chancellor, Imo State University, Owerri and Olufemi Bamiro, pro-chancellor, Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijagun.

The team also has representatives, ministries of education, labour and employment, finance, justice, budget and national planning, National Salaries, Incomes & Wages Commission (NSIWC), and office of the secretary to the government of the federation (OSGF).

Buhari has also approved the reconstitution of the governing councils of university of Port Harcourt and Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, which were dissolved following the crises that engulfed the two institutions.

The new governing councils would serve for a term of four years, in the first instance, effective from December 28, 2016.