Prioritise dialogue over strikes, FG charges ASUU, SSANU

The Minister of Education, Dr. Morufu Alausa, has urged labour unions, particularly those in the educational sector, to prioritise the welfare and education of Nigerian students over strike actions.

Alausa made the call during the opening of the 359th Quadrennial National Delegates Conference of SSANU, held in Abuja on Wednesday.

The Minister noted that industrial action should not be the first resort when seeking governmental attention to the unions’ demands.

He acknowledged the frustrations experienced by the unions due to unfulfilled government agreements in the past but reassured that the administration of President Bola Tinubu is committed to fulfilling its promises and agreements.

He highlighted the President’s commitment to making difficult, long-term decisions for the nation’s improvement.

He said, “Honestly, 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.

“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.’”

He added, “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.”

“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.

Alausa also shared insights into the financial challenges limiting the government’s ability to meet union demands. He highlighted the previous administration’s high expenditure on subsidies and artificially low exchange rates, noting that such practices drained the nation’s resources, benefiting primarily the wealthiest individuals.

“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,” he explained.

The Minister urged labour unions to give the government the benefit of the doubt and engage in collective bargaining 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 stated.

He assured union members that progress is being made on their grievances, referencing a recent request for the government to release part of the withheld allowances for SSANU members. He also promised to advocate for improved conditions and consistent negotiations.

Also speaking, Ayuba Wabba, former president of the Nigeria Labour Congress, expressed labour unions’ frustrations with repeated breaches of agreements.

“Failure to honour collective bargaining agreements has been a major source of strikes in Nigeria,” he stated.

Wabba cited the financial and social costs of strikes, referencing the significant economic losses incurred during the 2012 petroleum subsidy strike.

He also called for reforms to improve the collective bargaining system, emphasising the need for trust and transparency from both the government and the unions.