The federal government said, it has fulfilled its own side of the bargain in the reconciliation efforts with the Academic Union of Universities, ASUU,about the latter’s demands culminating in the ongoing strike action.
The declaration followed the statement credited to ASUU President, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, wherein he said the varsity lecturers’ body would call off its 8-month old strike on the condition that its members’ salaries withheld by the government was paid.
Reacting, the Labour and Productivity Minister, Chris Ngige, said ASUU’s stance was out of order claiming government could only pay the affected lecturers if the strike was called off.
The Minister went on to reel out the compromises government made saying, “The N40b Earned Academic Allowances have also been processed just as the N30bn revitalisation funds, bringing it to N70bn. Likewise, the visitation panels for the universities have been approved by the President but the panel cannot perform its responsibilities until the shut universities are re-opened.
“The gazetting is also being rounded off at the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation while the Ministry of Education is ready to inaugurate the various visitation panels.”
Continued, “Asking the government to pay these four months before it goes back to work means ASUU is placing itself above the law of the land and no government will encourage it as it is a recipe for chaos in the labour milieu.”
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