ASUU Strike: FG to Continue Negotiations With Union

• The Federal Government is set to resume negotiations with ASUU over the strike.

• Labor minister, Chris Ngige announced the development during a meeting between FG and NAAT.

• Ngige, however, blamed the union for the ASUU strike and other disputes in the education sector.

The Federal Government has announced that it is set to continue negotiations with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) by next week. This announcement was made by Chirs Ngige, Nigeria’s Labour Minister, during a meeting with the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) on Friday.

Ngige added that the government is hopeful about arriving at a conclusion with the union that will bring the ASUU strike to an end. He also assured that the government was managing all disputes in the education sector as none of the unions will be able to function effectively without the others.

The minister, however, criticized ASUU for failing to take advantage of his open-door policy, which gives unions unlimited access to him.

“If you are from any union, you don’t need to book an appointment to see me. The doctors started using that advantage… That is why the Health Sector is quiet. The education unions don’t take advantage of my open-door policy.”

Read also: Nigerian University Students Protest Over Strike

Ngige revealed that he had also met with NASU and SSANU, and both associations were happy. He revealed that the delay in negotiations with ASUU was caused by money, welfare, old arrears, and renegotiation of service conditions.

The minister concluded by assuring that both parties will “arrive at something” to bring the ASUU strike to an end. He, however, warned that renegotiation of the 2009 agreement may not happen immediately because the Education Ministry is yet to create a committee to handle it.

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