ASUU embarked on a one-month warning strike on February 14, 2022 and later extended it after the government failed to meet its demands.
By Emma Ogbuehi
Rattled by Nigeria Labour Congress’ (NLC) threat to embark on a nationwide protest on July 26 and 27 in solidarity with the trade unions in Nigeria’s public universities, President Muhammadu Buhari, on Tuesday, directed the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, to end the five-month industrial action embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and three other university-based unions in two weeks.
Buhari gave the directive after he received briefings from relevant government Ministries, Agencies and Departments involved in resolving the face-off with the university unions.
ASUU embarked on a one-month warning strike on February 14, 2022 and later extended it after the government failed to meet its demands at the end of the month. The university lecturers’ union later declared an indefinite strike.
ASUU has since been joined by the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), the Non-Academic Staff Union of Allied and Educational Institutions (NASU) and the National Association of Academic Technologists, (NAAT).
The meeting was summoned by Buhari to get a briefing from the government team on why the strike has lasted for so long.
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After the briefing, the President ordered the education minister to ensure that the areas of disagreements were sorted out within two weeks and report back to him.
Buhari also directed the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, to be in all of the meetings to resolve the crisis.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, (SGF), Boss Mustapha, was also mandated to be part of the team to interface with the striking unions.
Those at the meeting were the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu; Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Dr. Zainab Ahmed; Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Ngige; Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami; Head of Service of the Federation, Dr. Folashade Yemi-Esan; Chairman of National Salaries Income and Wages Commission, Ekpo Nta, and Director-General Budget Office, Ben Akabueze.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), had on Friday threatened to embark on a nationwide protest on July 26 and 27 in solidarity with the trade unions in the Nigeria public universities.
NLC President, Mr. Ayuba Wabba, said this in a circular he jointly signed with Mr. Emmanuel Ugboaja, General Secretary of the Congress in Abuja.
The circular issued on July 15, was addressed to the Chairpersons and Secretaries of NLC State Councils.
