Nigeria: FG Moves to Meet ASUU’s Demand, Constitutes White Paper  Committee

Four days into the one-month warning strike declared by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the federal government has made a move towards addressing one of the grievances of the union.
This the government did on Thursday by announcing the setting up of 21 panels to draft the White Papers for the reports of visitations earlier sent to Nigerian tertiary institutions to review the activities of the various tertiary institutions across the country.
According to a statement by the Director, Press and Public Relations at the Ministry of Education, Ben Goong, the Education Minister, Adamu Adamu, constituted 10 panels for 36 universities; six for 25 polytechnics, and five for the 21 colleges of education.

The statement noted that the panels to be inaugurated in the coming days, were given two weeks from the date of inauguration to submit their reports.
ASUU had demanded that the government release White Papers on the reports of the visitation panels constituted by President Muhammadu Buhari in April 2021, to visit the 88 tertiary institutions across the country.
The university lecturers had lamented that many months after the submission of reports to the government it was yet to release the White Papers.
While declaring its warning strike on Monday, ASUU had demanded an immediate release of the White Papers to address the lapses in the administration of federal universities.
The panels, which were constituted based on ASUU’s request, had submitted their reports to the education minister in August, 2021.
While receiving the report, Adamu, who was represented by the Minister of State for Education, Chukuwuemeka Nwajiuba, had promised that the government would give adequate attention to the recommendations contained in the reports.

Parts of the visitation panel’s term of references in April 2021, was to review the performance of each institution assigned in the area of governance, academic standards, quality assurance, management of finances, relationships between the management and the staff, as well as the structures of the schools’ infrastructure and instructional materials.
The visitation panels were also asked to look into the financial management of the institutions, compliance to procurement laws, and investigate the application of funds particularly the special grants and loans made for specific projects, among others.
“Following the receipt of reports of Visitation Panels to Tertiary Institutions last year, Education Minister, Adamu Adamu has constituted White Paper Drafting Panels for Tertiary Institutions across the country.
“Ten White Paper Drafting Panels have been constituted for 36 Universities, while six Panels have been constituted for 25 Polytechnics with 21 Colleges of Education having 5 Panels.

“One Panel is to draft a White Paper for four Inter-university Centres.

“All the Panels have two weeks from the date of inauguration to submit their reports.”

Kuni Tyessi in Abuja