The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU has agreed to call of its eight-month strike which has grounded academic activities in the public u
The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU has agreed to call of its eight-month strike which has grounded academic activities in the public universities. The union leadership reached the consensus during a meeting with the government team led by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, in Abuja, on Friday. The government also pledged to increase the total payment to the union to N70 billion.
This is happening one week after the Federal Government accepted the demand by the ASUU that they be exempted from the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System.
Earlier this month, ASUU told students and their parents not to expect the suspension of its ongoing strike soon. The union’s Abuja Zonal Coordinator, Prof. Theophilus Lagi had accused the federal government of not showing commitment in resolving the issues that necessitated the ongoing industrial action, further stated that they will continue with the strike until the government bows to the union’s demands.
They also accused the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige of turning the wheel of progress backwards by setting ASUU on a collision course with other pressure groups in the university. He said; “Today, we wish to let Nigerians, especially our students and parents know that there is no hope in sight to ending or suspending the ASUU strike that has lingered for several months as government is yet to show serious commitment towards addressing our core demands. Our members have been advised to seek other legitimate means of survival as the government has not released salaries withheld since February, 2020.
“One needs not be a psychologist to understand the behaviour and recent utterances of the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige. The Minister has clearly shown his disdain for Nigerian academics and has failed to play the role of an unbiased umpire in moderating the imbroglio. He has now become the spokesperson to the Accountant General of the Federation and the Ministry of Finance, instead of finding solution for lecturers to get back to work. He is turning the wheel of progress backwards by setting ASUU on a collision course with other pressure groups in the university. Clearly Dr Ngige is on a war part with ASUU.”
