By FUNMILAYO ADEYEMI

The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, says the most recent signed and binding agreement between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) remains the 2009 agreement. The minister’s clarification was contained in a statement issued on Friday in Abuja by the Director of Press and Public Relations in the ministry, Mrs Folasade Boriowo.

Boriowo explained that the minister’s remark during an interaction with journalists on Thursday, had been misinterpreted, hence the need to set the record straight.

She recalled that in 2017, the then Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, inaugurated a renegotiation committee to review the 2009 agreement.

The process led to the drafting of the Nimi Briggs agreement in May 2021.

“However, it is important to stress that this 2021 draft agreement was not signed by the Federal Government,” she added.

“When the minister stated yesterday that there had been “no new signed agreement” with ASUU, he was referring specifically to the 2021 draft Nimi Briggs document, which has not been formally executed.

“The ministry therefore reaffirms that the 2009 FGN-ASUU Agreement remains the last formally signed agreement.

“The 2021 Nimi Briggs draft agreement was not signed but serves as the latest framework for discussions,” she said.

Boriowo added that the federal government remained committed to ending the 16-year stalemate with ASUU in a sustainable and constitutionally backed manner, ensuring universities remained open for teaching and research.

“The Ministry of Education urges the public and all stakeholders to disregard any misinterpretations and to note that the federal government’s commitment to resolving issues with ASUU remains firm under the Renewed Hope Agenda,” she said. (NAN)