Strike: FG, ASUU meet today

Representatives of the federal government, led by the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, will today meet with officials of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and other relevant stakeholders to iron out issues of interest to all parties.

This follows ASUU’s recent threat to embark on strike after issuing a 21-day notice to the federal government over several unresolved issues.

The notice was issued at the end of ASUU’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, which was held at the University of Ibadan, and copies transmitted to the Federal Ministries of Labour and Education.

Some of the issues include emergency revitalisation fund of public universities; payment of outstanding earned academic allowances; and release of withheld salaries, promotion arrears, IPPIS and third-party deductions of members among others.

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The last strike embarked upon by ASUU during the President Muhammadu Buhari administration, lasted for over eight months and grounded academic activities across universities in the country.

The education minister told journalists, at a press conference to mark one year of the administration, in Abuja at the weekend that letters of invitation have been sent to ASUU officials and several other organisations that would be relevant at the meeting.

“Most of the issues raised by ASUU are being attended to. For instance, the issue of exit from the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) has since been resolved by the president. Bureaucracy is the reason for the delay in the implementation of that directive. But by the time we meet on Monday, some of these issues will be discussed and resolved,” he said

While noting that the president is committed to academic stability in schools, he said he would not hold back any support that would ensure that the era of academic disruption in tertiary institutions is over.

He further stated that most of the demands of ASUU started in 1981 and virtually all governments have had a fair share of ASUU strikes but that the president made a commitment during the campaign that permanent solution would be provided this time, and he has shown that in his steps and actions.

He, therefore, appealed to ASUU to be considerate in its actions and open-minded in approach to the negotiation table so that the interests of all parties would be properly represented.