Order to reopen Varsities: FG backtracks!

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*Withdraws circular ordering Vice Chancellors, Pro-Chancellors to re-open Fed Varsities

*Says order has been given for withdrawal of NUC circular No. NUC/ES/138/Vol.64/135

*VCs, Governing Board Council Chairmen, Pro-Chancellors should take note

*That further development, information would be communicated to stakeholders

By our correspondent

Apparently bowing to pressure from stakeholders in the education sector over its directive that all federal universities be closed due to the lingering industrial action embarked upon by members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, the federal government has withdrawn the circular.

It would be recalled that earlier yesterday, the federal government had issued a circular directing Vice Chancellors, Pro-Chancellors and Chairmen of Governing Councils to reopen federal universities nationwide despite the strike embarked upon by the university lecturers.

The federal government had in the circular tagged NUC/ES/138/Vol.64/135 signed by the Director, Finance and Account of the National Universities Commission, NUC, Sam Onazi on behalf of the Commission’s Executive Secretary, Abubakar Rasheed addressed to all vice-chancellors; Pro-Chancellors and chairmen of governing councils of federal universities directed them to re-open federal universities nationwide.

But in the evening of yesterday Monday September 26, the federal government in another circular tagged NUC/ES/138/Vol.64/136 which was also signed by the Director, Finance and Account of the NUC, Onazi, the Commission announced its withdrawal of the earlier directive.

The letter tagged, “withdrawal of circular NUC/ES/138/Vol.64/135 dated 23rd September 2022” partly reads, “I have been directed to withdraw the National Universities Commission (NUC) Circular Ref: NUC/ES/138/Vol.64/135, and dated 23″ September 2022 on the above subject.”

“Consequently, the said Circular stands withdrawn. All Pro-Chancellors and Chairmen of Governing Councils, as well as Vice-Chancellors of Federal Universities are to please note. Further development and information would be communicated to all relevant stakeholders.

“Please accept the assurances of the Executive Secretary’s warmest regards,” he said.

It would also be recalled that reacting to the earlier circular directing the re-opening of the universities; the Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities said that they are studying the letter issued by the Federal Government ordering them to reopen schools.

They maintained that to study the directive issued would help forestall future strikes after reopening the institutions.

The Secretary- General of the Committee of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities, Prof. Yakubu Aboki Ochefu who responded on the development said the directive by the federal government was to further communicate court order to the Vice Chancellors and asking them to comply to court order issued last Wednesday by the National Industrial Court of Nigeria.

It would be recalled that, the National Industrial Court, Abuja Judicial Division on Wednesday 21th September, ordered ASUU that has been on strike since 14th February to reopen schools for academic activities.

Delivering a ruling on the interlocutory injunction filed by the Federal Government, Justice Polycarp Hamman restrained ASUU from continuing with the Industrial action pending the determination of the suit.

Reacting further, Ochefu said, “In order to forestall future strike after reopening the institutions, the vice chancellors are studying the letter from NUC so as not reopen the schools and still discover that the members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU are still on strike.”

“The directive is basically communicating the court order to the Vice Chancellors and asking them to comply.

“The VC’s are studying this in view of the appeal by ASUU so as not to reopen and find that ASUU is still on strike”, he added.