Strike: We Await FG’s Response – ASUU President

Punch Newspaper

The striking Academic Staff Union of Universities has said it is awaiting the response of the Federal Government on its demands.

The PUNCH reported that the Federal Government’s renegotiation committee headed by Prof. Nimi Briggs met with ASUU leadership on Monday in continuation of the renegotiation of the FGN-ASUU 2009 agreements with the four university unions, which are all currently on strike.

The President of ASUU, Emmanuel Osodeke, told our correspondent that the meeting was fair, saying they were expecting the government to respond to the issues they discussed with the committee.

When asked if ASUU would call the strike off soon since it had a fair deliberation with Briggs committee, Osodeke said, ‘‘I don’t know if we are calling off the strike soon. We are waiting for the final response from the government.

“It is a committee of different government agencies. They need to go back to their principal and look at what we agreed on and then get back to us. When they respond to us, we will give you full details.”

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He revealed that University Transparency and Accountability Solution is still undergoing test by National Information Technology Development Agency, adding that ASUU has had three meetings with the Federal Government’s committee.

Osodeke also said there was no new invitation from the committee.

He said, “They will call us when they are ready for another meeting, but none for now. We have had about three meetings with them.’’

ASUU commenced its ongoing strike on February 14, 2022, after the Federal Government failed to meet some of its demands including, the release of revitalisation funds for universities, renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU agreement, release of earned allowances for university lecturers, and deployment of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution.