Nigeria’s academic union, ASUU, set to call off strike, to receive N70bn.
Nigeria’s Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) is set to call off its 8-month strike after government reached an agreement with striking lecturers.
The industrial action has grounded academic activities in the country’s intellectual institutions since March 2020.
The Academic Union’s leadership reached the agreement during a scheduled meeting on Friday with the government team led by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, in Abuja.
ASUU strike set to be called off after a round of industrial talks.
Part of the agreement includes the government’s pledge to pay N40 billion as Earned Allowances, as well as investing N30bn for the revitalisation of the nation’s university system.
This brings the total payment to N70 billion.
The Federal Government further promised to settle the outstanding arrears of salaries of the striking lecturers before December 31.
Last week, the Federal Government accepted one of the demands by ASUU that they are exempted from the controversial Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System.
They also asked to be paid their owed salaries pending the approval of their devised proposed payment system, the University Transparency and Accountability Solution.
ASUU is now expected to communicate the agreement to its organs and then relay their decision to the federal government after which a date for the calling off of the strike would be announced.
ASUU, however, insisted that the agreement should not be announced officially until it has received approval by its members in the 36 states and Federal Capital Territory.
The Minister of Labor, Ngige said the discussion was fruitful and affirmed that the Nigerian government will stay true to its promises to the academic body.
“Many issues were discussed at the meeting including salary shortfall, the payment system and revitalisation of the university system. I am positive that all the issues would be resolved at our next meeting.”
When approached by the press for comments, the President of ASUU, Professor Biodun Ogunyemi, nodded his approval to everything Ngige said was correct and declined further statements on the issue.
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