Representatives
of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Monday staged a walkout
from a meeting with a federal government delegation.
The
government delegation was led by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris
Ngige.
Despite
the walkout, Mr Ngige expressed optimism that the strike would soon be called
off.
The university lecturers embarked on an indefinite strike on November 4, demanding improved funding of universities and implementation of previous agreements with the government.
The university lecturers embarked on an indefinite strike on November 4, demanding improved funding of universities and implementation of previous agreements with the government.
The National
President of ASUU, Biodun Ogunyemi, led the union’s delegation to Monday’s
meeting.
The ASUU
delegation arrived at the ministry at exactly 5:00 p.m. but no member of the
federal government delegation was around as at this time.
The
government delegation led by Mr Ngige arrived at exactly 6:00 p.m.
The
minister of education, Adamu Adamu, was absent at the time the meeting started.
Before the
walkout and at the start of the meeting, Mr Ngige told the lecturers that he
hopes a consensus on most of the issues is reached at the end of the meeting.
He assured
the union that attention will be paid to three critical demands, which are
salary shortfall, university revitalisation and earned allowances of lecturers.
After the
walkout by the lecturers, they did not brief journalists on what caused their
action.
Mr Ogunyemi, who led ASUU’s
delegation to Monday’s meeting, refused to make any comment.
Mr Ngige,
who briefed journalists after the walkout, did not also state what the
grievances of the lecturers were. He, however, expressed optimism that the
strike would be called off soon.
He said
negotiations are still ongoing with ASUU and that the federal government will
try to have an agreement with the lecturers before Christmas so as to allow
affected university students return to school in January.
Reacting
to the walk out by ASUU’s representatives, Mr Ngige said the lecturers were
only dissatisfied with the decision reached.
“There is
no walk out because we even broke into a session that is on camera. We can say
they were dissatisfied because he is a union leader so if he doesn’t get 100
per cent he might not be smiling.
“Note that
any meeting you have and people come out smiling, that means somebody has
cheated the other,” he said.
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