The Federal Government will meet with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Monday and Tuesday in a last-minute effort to prevent a fresh strike in public universities.
The meetings were convened by the Yayale Ahmed Renegotiation Committee, which has been engaging the union over unresolved demands.
A senior member of ASUU’s National Executive Council (NEC), who spoke to Punch on Sunday on condition of anonymity, accused the government of deliberately stalling negotiations.
“They have fixed meetings for Monday and Tuesday. This is just delay tactics. After their meeting, we will convene our NEC to decide the next line of action,” the official said.
ASUU’s one-month ultimatum to the government expired on Saturday. The union had suspended a two-week warning strike on 22 October, giving the government additional time to implement key commitments.
Among the unresolved issues are: the renegotiation of the 2009 FG–ASUU agreement, payment of outstanding salaries and earned academic allowances, and the release of revitalisation funds for public universities.
The union had warned that it would resume industrial action without further notice if concrete steps were not taken within the deadline.
However, the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, has insisted that the government has met “virtually all” of the union’s demands. Speaking to journalists at the State House recently, he said President Bola Tinubu had directed that no strike should take place in public universities.
“We are talking to them; we’ve met literally all their requirements. We are back at the negotiation table, and discussions are ongoing,” the minister said.
ASUU is expected to announce its next steps after the upcoming NEC meeting.
