BREAKING: ASUU Suspends Strike
BY EDMOND ODOK, ABUJA – The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has suspended its three month old nationwide strike after signing all necessary agreements with the Federal Government on Thursday, February 7, 2019.
ASUU President, Professor Biodun Ogunyemi announced the truce in Abuja following its peace-meeting with the Federal Government delegation led by Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige and Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu.
ASUU said by this decision, the strike would be suspended from midnight today (Thursday), February 7, 2019 as part of the resolutions reached with the government.
Ogunyemi however said the strike was suspended conditionally pending when the federal government would fully implement all new agreements reached between both parties in line with their respective timelines
He said both sides came up with a document that ASUU signed on behalf its striking members, adding; “Our members are waiting and you will hear from us later today.”
Labour Minister Ngige read the agreement reached by both parties, saying; “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.”
He said the two sides amicably addressed the eight contentious issues that had prolonged the strike, adding that the subject of NUMPENCO was also resolved given that ASUU collected the licence on January 28, 2019.
According to him, in tandem with government’s anti-corruption campaign, the Visitation Panel has also been set-up and will commence work on March 2, 2019 towards sanitizing the nation’s tertiary institutions.
On Earned Allowances, Dr Ngige said the Federal Government has released N20 billion to all categories of staff, with ASUU enjoying a bigger share of the funds.
He also said government approved an additional N5 billion for payment of Earned Academic Allowances (EAA) among others.
Dr Ngige said government has also approved N25 billion as Revitalisation Fund to be released between April and May 2019, while also resuming full implementation of the MoU signed with ASUU since 2009.
The Minister, who also spoke on demand for the Federal Government to reconstitute its negotiation team, insisted that no party can dictate to another who should be its representatives in line with the International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention.
He said it was also agreed that the government team should reconvene soon and conclude its work on or before Friday, March 29, 2019.
Interestingly, hours before the two sides agreed to the long-awaited ceasefire, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) had stormed the meeting venue to threaten showdown against ASUU’s leadership and government if the face-off was not resolved immediately.
