ASCSN suspends strike over King’s College concession
By Eberechi Obinagwam
The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) has suspended its ongoing industrial action over the proposed concession of King’s College, Lagos, under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement, following assurances by the Federal Ministry of Education and the establishment of a joint review committee.
The union announced the suspension in a statement signed by its National President, Comrade Shehu Mohammed, and Secretary-General, Comrade Joshua Apebo, directing members across all Federal Unity Colleges nationwide to resume their normal official duties with immediate effect.
The decision followed an emergency high-level meeting between the ASCSN leadership, its parent body, the Trade Union Congress (TUC), and the Federal Ministry of Education in Abuja.
The meeting was chaired by the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, with the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Said Ahmad, and the Acting Permanent Secretary, Dr Folake Olatunji David, in attendance.
According to the union, one of the major resolutions from the meeting was the establishment of a seven-member joint review committee, with labour representatives included, to examine the document presented by the ministry for the implementation of the King’s College concession.
The committee has been given a maximum of two weeks to identify areas of concern and make recommendations for their inclusion in the document.
The ministry also assured the union that staff of King’s College would not be victimised through retrenchment, posting or demotion as a result of the exercise. The union said staff would, however, be at liberty to decide whether to remain at the college.
On ownership, the ministry reportedly clarified that the Federal Government would retain 100 per cent legal ownership and oversight of King’s College, while public access to the institution would continue in line with Federal Government policy.
The ministry also affirmed that there would be no increase in school fees outside the Federal Government’s policy on affordable education applicable to Federal Unity Colleges.
ASCSN said the assurances and concessions reached at the meeting informed its decision, alongside the TUC, to suspend the industrial action pending the submission of the committee’s report.
The union, however, described the suspension as conditional, warning that it would reactivate the industrial action if the committee failed to accommodate the concerns raised by labour representatives.
It urged its chapter and unit executives to remain vigilant and closely monitor developments as the review committee begins its work.
