The House of Representatives has urged the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to promptly resume negotiations aimed at ending the union’s ongoing two-week warning strike.
This call followed the adoption of a motion of urgent national importance sponsored by Hon. Oluwaseun Whinghan, who represents the Badagry Federal Constituency of Lagos State, during Tuesday’s plenary session.
ASUU had on Monday embarked on a two-week warning strike over the Federal Government’s failure to implement key agreements, including the 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement, revitalisation of public universities, payment of earned academic allowances, review of salary structures, and the protection of university autonomy.
Before the strike action, Minister of Education Prof. Yusuf Sununu had stated that talks with the union were nearing conclusion under the Bola Tinubu administration.
Presenting the motion, Whinghan expressed deep concern that the renewed strike could again cripple academic activities nationwide, disrupt the school calendar, and inflict hardship on students, parents, and lecturers.
He warned that repeated industrial disputes in the tertiary education sector have weakened Nigeria’s human capital base, limited innovation, and diminished global competitiveness, describing education as a constitutional pillar of national development under Section 18 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
“The Nigerian university system remains a cornerstone of our nation’s productivity and progress,” Whinghan noted. “Both the Federal Government and the university unions share a moral and institutional duty to safeguard its stability and integrity.”
He added that frequent strikes have triggered rising student dropouts, escalated academic brain drain, and eroded public confidence in the nation’s higher education system.
After extensive debate, the House resolved to call on both parties to return to the negotiation table “in the spirit of mutual respect and transparency.”
It further mandated its Committees on University Education and Labour, Employment and Productivity to immediately intervene and facilitate a sustainable resolution.
Additionally, lawmakers approved the creation of an ad-hoc committee chaired by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas to mediate between the Federal Government and ASUU, with a view to ensuring the prompt resumption of academic activities across Nigerian universities.
The House also advocated the establishment of a permanent joint consultative platform between the Federal Government and university-based unions to ensure continuous dialogue and prevent future industrial actions.
Finally, the Committee on Legislative Compliance was directed to monitor the mediation process and submit a progress report to the House within one week.
