#EndSARS: FG recalls workers, agrees deal with ASUU, orders restart of league

 

BY NICHOLAS ABE

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The Federal Government in apparent measure to speedily end the nationwide #EndSARS protest by Nigerian youths has entered into an agreement with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), expected to bring to a close the seven-month strike by the lecturers.

Apart from the ASUU deal, the government has also directed civil servants in the lower cadre who had been away from work, since March, due to the COVID-19 pandemic to resume effective Monday, October 19, 2020.

The government, through the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, on Thursday further directed the lifting of ban earlier placed on outdoor sporting activities, including the nation’s football leagues.

The federal government, represented by the ministers of labour, led by Chris Ngige and Festus Keyamo, at a resumed meeting with ASUU on Thursday, agreed to release N30 billion earned academic allowance to the university lecturers.

The money, it was gathered, will be paid in tranches between May 2021 and February 2022.

The Punch reports that the FG also promised to spend N20 billion on the revitalisation of the education sector as part of concessions meant to end the long-drawn strike declared by ASUU.

These were part of the agreements reached during the ongoing meeting between the FG and ASUU leadership on Thursday.

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Speaking earlier before going into a closed-door session, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, said students were being recruited into the #EndSARS protests following the closure of universities occasioned by the ASUU strike.

He expressed the hope that ASUU would call off the strike soon, noting that the government has been finding ways to end the seven-month strike.

Ngige said, “For the past one week, we have all been on our toes, we have been meeting and we pray that this meeting will yield some good fruits.

“We don’t take very great pleasure in the fact that the children who are supposed to be in school are being recruited into the #EndSARS, #EndStrike, #EndSWAT and all kinds of situations.

“As much as possible, we will try to see how we can meet ourselves halfway so that we can resolve this crisis to the benefits of all and the country at large.”

The ASUU delegation led by its President, Prof Biodun Ogunyemi said there was a need for everyone to look at the issues affecting the university system as a national emergency in the country.

Ogunyemi commended the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, Ngige, and Accountant-General of the Federation, Idris Ahmed, among others, for facilitating the discussion.

The National Coordinator of the PTF on COVID-19, Dr Sani Aliyu, said at its press briefing in Abuja, that the lifting of restriction on outdoor sporting activities was in line with earlier consultations with the Federal Ministry of Youth Sport Development and Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

He however clarified that this will be limited to the actual sport itself and not with mass gatherings.

“In this regard mass gathering including at sport events is still restricted as this represents an opportunity for the virus to spread with an increased rate of a second wave.

“For gatherings in enclosed places, this will continue to be limited to only 50 persons with physical distancing and compulsory wearing of face masks except for workplaces,” Aliyu said.

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On the resumption of civil servants, he said: “The PTF also believes that it is now time to allow civil servants of all grades to resume work safely. Additional guidelines will be provided for heads of MDAs.

“Chief executives and heads of MDAs are responsible for ensuring the strict enforcement of non-pharmaceutical interventions, and making sure that their work environment is safe for the staff.

“Face masks are expected to be worn in every public building including govt offices.”

Aliyu further revealed that the PTF in conjunction with the NCDC and NYSC had developed guidelines for the reopening of the orientation camps on November 10, 2020.

“The PTF has also arranged for additional safe bags to include the testing of all corps members and staff in the camps for COVID-19 prior to commencement of the orientation programmes.

“It is also time for schools to open but to open safely, and in this regard, we have continued with providing guidelines and engagement with states to ensure close supervision and guidelines and oversight as schools open,” the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) quoted the national coordinator of the PTF as saying.