By VICTOR AHIUMA-YOUNG

ABUJA—THE Federal Ministry of Education, FME, and the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, ASCSN, have resolved the industrial dispute between them over the welfare of staff among others which prompted the association to issue a 21-day strike notice to FME.

At a meeting between leaders of ASCSN and officials of FME headed by the Minister of Education, Professor Rukayyatu Ahmed Rufa’i, in Abuja, both parties after extensive discussion of the issues in dispute agreed among others  that “the Permanent Secretary of Education, PSE, should Provide a quarterly schedule of meeting between the Ministry and the National Leadership of ASCSN which would be chaired by the PSE if the Minister is unavoidably absent.

On the stagnation of officers who are due for promotion in the Ministry, the meeting agreed that the Ministry should expedite action on its current effort to create additional vacancies through the Office of the Head of Civil Service of  the Federation, OHCSF;  On the non-placement of staff after promotion and the nonpayment of  promotion arrears, it was agreed that the Task Force put in place to address  the issues should conclude its assignment latest by the end of April 2013.

“On the nonpayment of allowances to officers who attended the mandatory  Training for Officers on Gl.14-16 organized by the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, OHCSF, in 2010, it was agreed that the Ministry’s record showing the list of those who attended be brought to the attention of the PSE with a view to liaising with the Budget Office of the Federation, BOF, for payment.

“On the nonpayment of first 28 days allowance to officers posted since 2008, the meeting agreed that the list should be compiled with a view to liaising with  the Budget Office of the Federation for payment; On the need to strengthen the Quality Assurance functions of the Federal Inspectorate Services, FIS, it was agreed that, FIS, should be adequately funded while a meeting of the, FIS, Zonal/State Co-ordinating Inspectors be held with the PSE to address their challenges; On the issue of posting of Union officers before the expiration of their tenure, the meeting agreed that the Ministry should revisit the posting while officers posted without personal request or on compassionate grounds should be paid  their entitlements.