The Federal Government has assured that the ongoing strike by Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, would be called off soon. The government further expressed surprise by the renewed action which the university teachers embarked on February 14, 2022.

Senator Chris Ngige, Minister of Labour and Employment, who addressed the conciliation meeting with the union, stated that the government was taken aback that ASUU negated the understanding and assurance it gave through the Nigerian Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) led by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar and the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. Supo Ayokunle.

However, the Academic Staff Union of Universities has insisted that the suspension of the strike would depend on government’s readiness to meet its persisting demands, particularly the adoption of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution, UTAS.

Will the FG meet with ASUU demands?

Senator Chris Ngige, who was in Botswana to attend the meeting of the African Regional Labour Administrative Centre (ARLAC) when ASUU, announced the one-month warning strike, stated he thought the university teachers and their employer, the Ministry of Education, would have resolved the areas of disputes within days.

“I sincerely thought ASUU and the Ministry of Education would have resolved the issues which hopefully are not major areas of dispute warranting industrial action. To my surprise, I came back, and the strike is still on. Be that as it may, it is the mandate of my Ministry to apprehend industrial disputes wherever they occur and we have apprehended this.

But I must tell you that on the government side, they were taken by surprise because before then, NIREC met with you, ASUU, and reported to the President. Having met with you and having given the details of their meeting with you, we sincerely hoped we won’t again take this route of industrial action. So, the government side is taken by surprise.

Senator Chris Ngige, however assured that the strike is being evaluated by his Ministry and that the ongoing conciliation would prepare ground for an expanded meeting which will involve NIREC.