What Is ASUU’s Business With Land Ownership? Wike  Dismisses Strike Threat

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has rejected the risk by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Abuja (UniAbuja) chapter, to embark on a strike over the reallocation of parts of the establishment’s land to non-public builders and authorities companies.

Wike described the union’s intervention within the land dispute as unwarranted, insisting that ASUU has no authority over land administration within the FCT.

The minister spoke on Thursday throughout his month-to-month media chat in Port Harcourt, the place he dismissed allegations of land grabbing by the FCT Administration (FCTA), sustaining that the duty for land allocation and enforcement of the Abuja Master Plan rests with the federal government.

Questioning the union’s involvement within the matter, Wike stated, “What is the business of ASUU on our land? How is ASUU the owner of land? Is ASUU the owner of the union in Nigeria now? Is it the union’s right?”

He additionally questioned the justification for a single college retaining 1000’s of hectares of land, notably the place parts stay undeveloped and could possibly be put to different makes use of for the event of the capital metropolis.

According to him, the FCTA’s determination to reallocate parts of the college’s land is in line with its statutory duties and broader city improvement insurance policies.

Reacting to ASUU’s risk to problem the allocations in courtroom and withdraw its providers, Wike stated the administration was not intimidated by both industrial motion or authorized proceedings.

He maintained that the FCTA was ready to defend its actions in courtroom, insisting that the federal government would proceed to train its statutory powers over land administration within the nation’s capital.

The minister additionally accused the union’s management of making an attempt to stress the federal government by way of threats of business motion, urging it to chorus from what he described as blackmail.

Wike additional argued that federal establishments couldn’t declare unrestricted possession of intensive parts of land with out demonstrating correct documentation, approvals and precise utilisation.

He insisted that the FCTA would proceed with its land restoration and reallocation coverage, regardless of the union’s opposition.

The disagreement adopted a warning by the ASUU UniAbuja chapter that it may now not assure industrial concord on the establishment if the FCT minister didn’t reverse the disputed land allocations.

At a press convention, the union’s chairman, Dr Sylvanus Ugoh, accused the FCTA of reallocating parts of the college’s designated land within the Giri District to non-public builders and authorities companies.

ASUU maintained that the 11,824 hectares initially allotted to the college had been important for its long-term growth, agricultural analysis, infrastructural improvement and different educational actions.

The union subsequently threatened industrial motion and indicated its readiness to pursue authorized choices to problem the FCTA’s determination.

However, Wike has maintained that land administration throughout the FCT falls below the regulatory authority of the FCTA and that the federal government wouldn’t reverse its choices below stress from the union.