The Minister of Education, Dr. Morufu Alausa, has urged labour unions, particularly those in the educational sector, to prioritize the welfare and education of Nigerian students above resorting to strike actions.
Speaking at the opening of the 359th Quadrennial National Delegates Conference of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities in Abuja on Wednesday, the Minister emphasized the importance of addressing issues through dialogue rather than industrial action.
Alausa acknowledged the frustration unions have experienced due to unfulfilled government agreements over the years.
However, he reassured the unions that the current administration, under President Bola Tinubu, is fully committed to addressing their concerns and fulfilling its promises.
He emphasized that strike actions should not be the first response when seeking the government’s attention to the unions’ demands.
“In all honesty, I know that as associations—ASUU, NASU, and others—your morale has been affected because the government has entered into agreements with you, and most of the time, the government has not fulfilled its part of the agreement,” Alausa stated. “But let me assure you, President Bola Tinubu is a democrat. He will work to meet the obligations and agreements he has made with you. During his campaign, he told Nigeria, ‘I will be honest with you, I will take the difficult decisions.’”
The Minister continued by reflecting on the historical context, stating, “And I wish these difficult decisions had been taken 10, 20, or 30 years ago. If they had, we wouldn’t be in this situation today. But now, this president is taking action, and he will continue to meet his obligations and promises to Nigerians.”
Alausa urged the unions to trust the process and allow the government time to fulfill its promises. “Let us look at his track record from when he was governor of Lagos State, and at what he has accomplished in the last 16–17 months. Please, let us give the government time and the benefit of the doubt,” he appealed.
In his remarks, Alausa also outlined the financial challenges the government faces, explaining that the high expenditure of previous administrations, particularly on subsidies and artificially low exchange rates, had drained the nation’s resources.
These policies, which primarily benefitted the wealthiest individuals, severely impacted critical sectors such as education.
“The subsidies cost Nigeria almost $1 billion daily, while artificially supporting the exchange rate cost an additional $500 million monthly. These policies were unsustainable and diverted resources away from critical sectors like education,” Alausa noted, explaining that the current administration’s approach is aimed at correcting these fiscal imbalances.
The Minister emphasized the importance of collective bargaining conducted with mutual respect.
“We have assembled a committee led by respected Nigerians, including Alhaji Yahaya Ahmed, former Head of the Service, to negotiate with unions. This administration is committed to listening and collaborating. Let us prioritise the future of our children and work together to keep them in school,” he urged.
Alausa further reassured the unions that progress is being made on their grievances, including a recent request for the government to release part of the withheld allowances for SSANU members.
He promised to continue advocating for improved conditions and to ensure that negotiations remain consistent and fruitful.
In a related development, Ayuba Wabba, the former president of the Nigeria Labour Congress, voiced the frustration of labor unions over the repeated breaches of agreements by the government.
“Failure to honour collective bargaining agreements has been a major source of strikes in Nigeria,” Wabba said, highlighting the ongoing struggle for fair treatment.
Wabba referenced the significant economic and social costs of past strikes, particularly the 2012 petroleum subsidy strike, which resulted in considerable financial losses.
He called for reforms to improve the collective bargaining system, emphasizing the need for trust, transparency, and good faith negotiations from both the government and the unions.
The discussion at the SSANU conference underscores the ongoing tensions between labour unions and the government, but it also reflects the commitment of both parties to engage in dialogue and find solutions for the betterment of the nation’s educational system.
