ASUU Strike News Update: Disagreement Between ASUU & FG Over Planned Meeting

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, on Sunday, denied receiving a notice of meeting from the Ministry of Labour and Employment over its industrial strike action.

Recall that Chris Ngige last week claimed that the federal government would meet with the aggrieved union this week.
The National President of ASUU, Emmanuel Osodeke, on Sunday stated that the federal government has not forwarded a letter of notice of the meeting to the union.

Osodeke said, “No, we have not received any notice of meeting from them. They didn’t call us. We are not begging them to meet with us and we will not go to them if they do not invite us. It is part of his (Ngige’s) political campaign, we didn’t receive an invitation.”

When asked what would be ASUU’s decision at the end of its two-month rollover strike which ends on Friday, Osodeke said, “My people will decide.”

He added, “No meeting, if we do not hear from them, our National Executive Council will meet at the expiration of this week.”

The ASUU president when asked if the strike would end on Friday, he added, “My people will decide.

“No meeting, if we do not hear from them, our National Executive Council will meet at the expiration of this week.”

The spokesperson of the Ministry of Education, Ben Goong, while reacting to Osodeke’s statement noted that the Federal Government has reached out to ASUU.

Goong said, “The negotiating team is meeting ASUU this week. I cannot say when but I am very sure they will be meeting. The team has reached out to ASUU.

“It is not true that we have not been communicating with them. ASUU is making a series of demands including an increase in salary if we have not been communicating, who then are they making their demands to?”

Meanwhile, the Committee of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities has reiterated the need for the Federal Government and the striking ASUU to resolve lingering issues in order to end the ongoing strike.

The Chairman of the committee, Prof. Samuel Edoumiekumo, said it was crucial for both parties to come to an agreement to end the strike as soon as possible.