Federal Government Appeals To ASUU To Suspend Strike

The Federal Government has appealed to the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to suspend its ongoing strike in the universities in the interest of the nation. The Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, made the appeal today on the basis of an on-going renegotiation of the 2009 agreement between the Federal Government and ASUU.
Ngige said the renegotiation, which commenced on Monday, February 13, 2017, to address the lingering issues, was being handled by the Babalakin Committee established by the Federal Government. According to him, though the Federal Government did not wish to apportion blame, Ngige noted that ASUU did not follow due process in the declaration of the industrial action as it did not give the Federal Government the mandatory 15 days’ notice as contained in Section 41 of Trade Disputes Act, Cap T8, 2004.
The minister noted that the only notification the government received was a letter to inform them that ASUU had started a strike and not a declaration of intention to go on a strike as contained in the Trade Dispute Act, 2004.
“The Federal Government, therefore, wishes to appeal to ASUU to consider the students who are currently writing degree and promotion examinations, to call off the strike and return to the negotiation table. The Ministry of Labour and Employment will ensure that a time-frame will be tied to the negotiation this time around,” the minister said.