ASUU Strike: FG Says Union Might Suspend Strike Soon

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige has disclosed that the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) may soon suspend its strike after an eight-hour meeting with the Federal Government representatives ended on an amicable note.

AllNews gathered that Ngige while briefing newsmen after the long hour meeting said the dialogue was fruitful. Correspondingly, the President of the staff union, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi agreed with the Minister’s remarks.

Explaining the outcome of the meeting, the minister said the government has made a proposal which ASUU will take back to their executives.

The minister explained that several issues were discussed in the Friday meeting, including salary shortfall, the payment system for lecturers, and the revitalization of universities.

He said, “The meeting has agreed that the mode of payment applied for the payment of those that had not been captured in the IPPIS platform between the month of February and June 2020 be adopted for the purpose of payment during this transition period.

“In addition, the meeting agreed that a suitable template that will address all the anomalies identified in the previous processes should be handled by the Accountant General of the Federation, Executive Secretary of NUC, and the Accounting Officers (Vice-Chancellors).” 

This online news platform recalls that the government had, during the November 27 meeting with the union, pledged N40 billion as the earned allowance and N30bn for the revitalization of the university system, bringing the total payment to N70 billion.

READ ALSO: ASUU Strike: Ngige Says 'We Have Done Everything Possible To Please ASUU'

The Federal Government also promised to pay the arrears of salaries to the lecturers, while the union, in turn, pledged to present the offer to its organs and get back to the government on their decision.

However, Ogunyemi later came hard on the government, saying it had failed to fulfill its promises.

But Ngige, in a statement, countered the claims, stating that the union pledged to call off its strike before December 9 after the offers made to it during their meeting. He also said the government had fulfilled all the pledges made to ASUU.