No agreement yet to suspend strike ― ASUU makes clarification after meeting with FG

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU has said it was yet to agreed calling off the ongoing strike action after meeting with the Government negotiation team led by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige on Friday.

WITHIN NIGERIA reported that the Federal Government on Friday at the meeting increased its offer for Earned Allowances EA to university based unions and funding for the revitalization of public universities from N65 billion to N70 billion.

It signalled an indication that the meeting, the strike which started since March would soon be called off after the meeting with the leadership of union and its organs.

With the university teachers considering and had ‘agreed’ to end the strike action after the government pledged to pay N40 billion for Earned Allowances and N30 billion for the revitalization of the university system bringing the total payment to N70 billion.

It was further reported that the Government ‘agreed’ to settle the arrears of salaries of the lecturers before December 31.

The report also noted that ASUU was expected to report the agreement to its organs and then communicate their decision to the government after which a date for the calling off of the strike would be announced.

While reacting to the story, the ASUU President, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi denied knowledge of any agreement to call off the strike, stressing that at the meeting, it was only agreed that union should convey Government message to their organs and revert back to Government.

Prof. Ogunyemi, said : ” I am not aware of that. All I know is that we had a meeting and we are going to report to our members. But I don’t know about suspension of strike.”

Earlier, the Minister of Labour, Ngige told reporters after the meeting that, “Many issues were discussed at the meeting including salary shortfall, the payment system and revitalization of the university system. I am positive that all the issues would be resolved at our next meeting.”

Friday’s meeting was about the seventh time both sides have met to resolve the pending issues in contention since the university union embarked on strike on March 23.