The Federal Government of Nigeria has confirmed that it has met over 98% of the demands of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
According to the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, there remains about 2% demands to be agreed on and the result will be announced on Wednesday.
“We have met about 98 percent of the request of ASUU; the remaining two percent is what you can call promissory notes. So, I am very hopeful that by midnight of Monday, there are some works we are supposed to get on to do. They also have some work they are supposed to do on their own side with their people.
“We will be meeting on the afternoon of Tuesday to Tuesday to compare notes. I believe that we might have come to the end of the strike after the meeting. It is a journey of a thousand miles which you will have to take one step first. Tomorrow, all things being equal, we will agree because we were disagreeing before. We disagree to agree and agree to disagree formally. But tomorrow, I hope we will agree to agree. Once we do that, schools will open in January,” Ngige said.ASUU President, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, in an interview on Monday, said the union would conclude making its decision known on Wednesday.
“I will address that matter on Wednesday. There is nothing I can say now. We are concluding our consultation by tomorrow (Tuesday). I have been telling all journalists that I won’t say anything until Wednesday. Whatever he (Ngige) says I’m not saying anything. We are reviewing the situation,” He stated.
In a recent post by the union on Twitter, ASUU confirmed the suspension of the strike.
“#Good_News: Strike to be suspended as FG begins payment of withheld salaries of striking lecturers. #ASUU,” it wrote.
