SAN FRANCISCO, February 7, (THEWILL) – The leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has suspended its nationwide industrial action.
National President of the union, Professor Biodun Ogunyemi, announced this on Thursday during a press briefing at the Nigeria Labour Congress complex in Abuja.
The striking lecturers took the decision after a meeting with representatives of the Federal Government led by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige and Education Minister, Mallam Adamu Adamu, where an agreement was reached to end the strike.
The parties brokered the truce few hours after a team of students from the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) threatened a showdown with the leadership of ASUU who attended the negotiation if the strike is continues.
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.
