The Federal Government has scheduled meetings with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) for Monday and Tuesday in an effort to prevent the union from declaring a fresh strike.
The meetings, convened by the Yayale Ahmed Renegotiation Committee, are expected to address lingering issues raised by ASUU, whose one-month ultimatum to the government expired on Saturday.
A senior member of ASUU’s National Executive Council (NEC), who spoke on condition of anonymity, told newsmen in Abuja that the union viewed the meetings as another delay tactic.
“They have fixed meetings for Monday and Tuesday. I believe it is a delay strategy. After their meeting, we will convene our NEC to determine the next line of action,” the NEC member said.
ASUU had on Oct. 22 suspended its two-week warning strike after granting the Federal Government a one-month window to meet key demands, including the review of the 2009 ASUU-FG agreement, payment of outstanding salaries and earned allowances, and release of funds for university revitalisation.
The union had warned that it would resume industrial action without prior notice if concrete steps were not taken within the stipulated period.
Meanwhile, Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, insisted that the government had met “virtually all” of ASUU’s demands. Speaking recently at the State House, he reaffirmed President Bola Tinubu’s directive that no strike should occur in public universities.
“We are doing everything humanly possible to ensure our students remain in school. We have returned to the negotiation table and discussions are ongoing,” Alausa said.
He added that he had briefed the President on the status of negotiations and sought additional concessions to resolve the dispute.
ASUU is expected to announce its decision after its NEC meeting, which will hold following the government’s engagements on Monday and Tuesday.
