ASUU’ll Call Off Strike Next Week, We’ll Release N53bn — FG

President Muhammadu Buhari and ASUU President, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, have reached a truce with the Federal Government over the ongoing strike embarked upon the union, however both parties would reconvene within a week to sail the agreement that would force the strike to an end.

It was learnt that the Federal government made an offer to release N53billion for the striking University teachers to return to classroom.

Sources said that leaders of the union have already accepted the offer during the meeting witnessed by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, and his counterpart in Education, Adamu Adamu, who represented the Federal Government, as well as ASUU president, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, who led other union’s team to the meeting.

Though they didn’t disclose the details, both sides said there was tremendous progress, following offers made by government and position of the union on the new offers.

Addressing newsmen, Ngige said:  “The meeting, as you can see, was not very long and we touched on various areas of the dispute. The  major issue is for us to see that the strike is called off so that our children can go back to school and ASUU graciously said they would come back to us on a date within the next one week.”

On his part, ASUU president, Prof. Ogunyemi, said: “Well, like the Honourable Minister said, there were some offers by government and we have taken copious notes of their offers but we have to get back to our members, lay all the information available to them first to consider and advise us.

“So, based on their advice, based on their positions, we will come back to government, with a view to getting responses.”

Meanwhile, Vanguard reports that the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, on Thursday confirmed that the on-going strike by ASUU would be called off next week, adding that N53 billion would be released to the union.

Speaking before the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND, led by Senator Jibrin Barau APC, Kano North, the Minister disclosed that the executive arm of government had commenced plans to ensure that it honoured the agreement with ASUU.

The Minister, who noted that he had written to the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, for the money, disclosed that she had already approved the money, adding that the money would be paid on Monday when  the  striking lecturers would receive the cheque.

He said:  “ASUU  asked for N23billion to be paid, but we said the condition for getting the N23billion  was for them to account for the N30billion they had taken and they were not able to account for it.

“The Minister of Finance undertook to do the audit from the ministry and we agreed that the result will be known  in six months. During that six months, government undertook to be paying ASUU  N1.5billion each month during the time they were waiting for this.

‘’However,  their grouse was that the forensic audit promised by the Minister of Finance had not been done and the money promised not paid.

“So, at our meeting two days ago, the agreement was to pay them all and do forensic audit on the entire N53billion.

“That was what I tried to do yesterday (Wednesday). I wrote to the Minister of Finance and she has already approved and this money will be paid. Probably, by  Monday, they will be able to receive the cheque.

“We didn’t agree  with ASUU on their request  that TSA should be taken out. I told them that it is not possible because it is a  new policy and government is not going to change it for anyone.

“Concerning their salary short fall, we said the reason springs from universities employing people without proper authority.

“For instance, a university can just decide to go and recruit 50 people without notifying IPPIS.  So, what they are going to get is the money they got last month, which will not be sufficient for them. We have told them that institutions should, henceforth, stop doing that and  they accepted.

“There is the issue of  registration of their pension commission. I think they have one or two issues to iron out with PENCOM and I believe they will also be able to solve the problem within a week.

“The issue of renegotiation is already ongoing, which will not affect what we have said.  I have already written a letter formalizing the meeting and all the agreements we had with ASUU and gave them the letter yesterday.

“From the way they received it, I think it is possible that the strike will be called off within a week maximum.”

Chairman of the Committee, Senator Jibrin Barau, commended the Minister for his efforts towards ensuring that the situation was resolved and the strike called off.