The strike threat recently issued by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has prompted the Federal Government to schedule a meeting with the union which, however, ended in an inconclusive note.
However, the government and stakeholders agreed to reconvene on September 6 to enable them perfect all grey areas in the union’s demands after constituting a sub-committee to review ASUU’s demands while also finding lasting solutions to the union’s grievances.
Recall that ASUU’s leadership under Professor Emmanuel Osodeke had slammed a 21 days ultimatum on the Federal Government to address existing demands some of which revolve around prompt release of revitalisation funds for universities, renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU agreement, and release of earned allowances for university lecturers.
ASUU is believed to be losing patience with the Federal Government over the deployment of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS), an alternative platform it recommended to government for the payment of salaries.
Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, who presided over the meeting later informed the media that a sub-committee had been set up to review their demands while also finding lasting solutions to the union’s grievances.
Prof. Osodeke said he was optimistic that all issues would be resolved before the September 6 meeting date.
“We have met to discuss all the issues and review them. We have given government between now and the next meeting to see what they have done.
“We believe in the interest of the Nigerian child and to protect their interest if the issues were resolved,’’ he said.
There are however speculations that the outcome of the September 6 meeting will determine whether the institutions would be shut down or not.
The 21-day strike notice issued by the union will elapse few days after the September 6 scheduled meeting.
Meanwhile, Mamman has constituted an implementation monitoring committee of NEEDS assessment intervention fund for Nigerian public universities to address one of the concerns of ASUU.
Daily Independent recalls that ASUU and the immediate past administration under former President Muhammadu Buhari engaged in protracted strike which crippled the university system for several months.
Most of the demands which were largely unfulfilled by the Buhari administration are being carried over to the incumbent government under President Bola Tinubu to which he had given assurance that he would meet.
