ASUU Suspends Strike

Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has suspended the three month old strike after signing all agreements with the Federal Government.

The agreement was reached through at the end of the conciliatory meeting held at the instance of the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige and his Education counterpart, Malam Adamu Adamu.

The parties brokered the truce few hours after a team of Students from National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) threatened showdown against the leadership of ASUU who attended the negotiation.

Ngige, who read the agreement signed by both parties, expressed optimism that the strike would be suspended.

He said, “This is going to be a conclusive meeting and conciliatory meeting between Federal Government and ASUU.

“This dispute culminated into a strike that started on the 5th of November, 2018.”

According to him, the parties unanimously resolved the eight contentious issues that had prolonged the strike.

He noted that the issue of the NUMPENCO has been resolved as ASUU collected the licence on the 28th January, 2019.

Besides, the Minister said that the Visitation panel has also been instituted and will commence work on 2nd March with the view to sanitizing the tertiary institutions, adding that it was in tandem with anti-corruption campaign.

On Earned Allowances, he said that the Federal Government has released the sum of N20 billion to all categories of staff but with ASUU having a bigger chunk of the money.

He however noted that Government has approved additional N5 billion for payment of Earned Academic Allowances and others.

He further stated that the sum of N25 billion will be released as Revitalisation Fund between April and May 2019 and resume full implementation of the MoU signed since 2009.

On the reconstitution of the Federal Government’s negotiation team, he noted that none of the parties can dictate whom to represent the interest of either parties based on the International Labour Organization Convention.

Meanwhile, it was agreed that Government’s team should reconvene not later than Monday, 9th and conclude its work on or before 29th March, 2019.

To this end, he observed that ASUU has resolved to brief respective organs with the view to suspend the strike.

On his part, Biodun Ogunyemi, ASUU President, said that the brief presented by the Minister was what was agreed.

“finally, we have come up with a document which we have signed on behalf of our members. Our members are waiting and you will hear from us later today,” he said.