By Valentine Amanze, Online Editor
The lingering rift between the federal government of Nigeria and
the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has continued as both failed to reach a decisive conclusion in their meeting.
The closed-door meeting, which held on Wednesday at the conference room of the Ministry of Labour and Employment in Abuja, lasted for five hours.
ASUU National President, Professor Biodun Ogunyemi, led the delegation of striking lecturers to the meeting which had the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, in attendance.
In his remarks, the minister said the Federal Government sees the meeting as a top priority and efforts were being made to ensure that Universities reopen as soon as possible.
The ASUU delegation, however, insisted that lecturers would not register on the Government Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), but would prefer the platform of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution when it is established.
While details of the meeting appear vague, there appears to be no conclusive agreement as both parties refused to speak to the press after the meeting, according to Channelstv report. Besides, Dr Chris Ngige had said that Government pledged to pay the sum of N40 billion with N30 billion to be paid on or before 6th November, while the remaining N10 billion would be spread equally over two tranches to be paid on May 2021 and February 2022.
