ASUU Strike: Here's Why Union Called Off Strike

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige on Wednesday said the Federal Government has presented new proposals to the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) aimed at bringing an end to the protracted strike action by the union.

Chris Ngige who made this known at the end of another meeting between ASUU and a government delegation, in Abuja said the ASUU executives are to have a quick consultation with their members and present feedback to the government as soon as possible, in order to know the next line of action.

AllNews had earlier reported that the nine-month-long strike of the Academic Staff Union of University (ASUU) has been called off, following the meeting held with the Federal Government on Tuesday night. 

Although, Ngige did not disclose the details of the proposal, he said the proposals are “win-win situation proposals made for the enhancement of the academic institutions in the country.”

While explaining, Ngige said the proposal would address the concluding part of the issues that led to the ASUU strike. He said, “We started on a nine-point complaint, and a lot of the complaints have been addressed. Today we conclusively addressed the leftovers.”

READ ALSO: ASSU Strike: Students Reacts As ASUU Calls Off Strike

He, however, said past proposals presented to ASUU by the government have addressed other areas of concern. “We have had a very incisive deliberations. We have crossed some t’s and dotted some i’s in the past proposals given to ASUU by government, and the areas of concern have also been addressed."

He said he hoped that the members of ASUU would appreciate the inherent benefits of the proposals to the parties involved and recognize that they were designed to add value to the academic institutions, and therefore call off their strike action.

Correspondingly, the President of the staff union, Biodun Ogunyemi said the union executives would immediately consult with the members on the new proposals by the government.

According to Ogunyemi, “They have given our union some new offers that we have pledged to make immediate consultations over.”

He said the union is as concerned as any other Nigerian about the problems facing Nigerian universities but that the next course of action would be determined by the National Executive Council of AS

“So we are saying that with the understanding of our members, we shall get back to government within the next 24 hours to make the decision of the National Executive Council of ASUU known to the government,” he said.

Decisively, Ogunyemi added that both parties had some good discussions over the demands presented by the Union.