Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige and labour leaders at the meeting to resolve issues with the strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Monday, 10th December, 2018
It appears there is no end in sight to the ongoing strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) as another meeting held on Monday with Federal Government officials failed to resolve issues that led to the strike.
This is as the union vowed to continue with the nationwide strike it started on 4th November in public universities across the country.
The latest meeting between the Federal Government and the leadership of the union was held on Monday at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment in Abuja.
Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, who presided over the crucial meeting promised the union leaders that the government would take all necessary steps to address their demands.
EduCeleb.com recalls that the union had at various times deplored the poor funding of universities, the alleged plot to increase students’ fees, introduction of an education bank, as well as non-implementation of previous agreements, among other issues.
It was also particularly concerned that government reneged on the 2013 agreement to release N1.3 trillion as university revitalisation funds to universities over a period of five years.
ASUU National President, Professor Biodun Ogunyemi led the union’s delegation to the meeting also attended by the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ayuba Wabba.
Like in an earlier meeting, the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education were absent.
The ministries of education and labour have held two separate meetings with the striking lecturers trying to resolve the issues since the strike started. All these meetings ended inconclusively.
The meeting was later adjourned till Monday next week, 17th December to continue further talks.
Addressing reporters after the meeting, Professor Ogunyemi said the union would await the next adjournment date before it would take a decision on whether or not to suspend the industrial action that has entered its sixth week.
According to him, this was necessary to see how far the Federal Government will deliver on its promises made to address the concerns raised by the union.
In a related development, the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) is also set to commence its strike on Wednesday, 12th December. In an earlier interview with EduCeleb.com, the National President of the Union, Usman Dutse also alluded to poor funding and victimisation of Polytechnic lecturers in some institutions.
For information on Press Releases, Photos, Promotional Events and Adverts, Please message us on WhatsApp via (+234) 09052129258, 08124662170 or send an email to: info@educeleb.com.
