The Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), ended their meeting today with both parties declaring it as fruitful.
By Emma Ogbuehi
The Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), ended their meeting today with both parties declaring it as fruitful.
The parties stated that they would reconvene on September 6, to review progress made so far in the decisions reached.
However, they were evasive on issues addressed during the meeting that lasted nearly two hours.
ASUU had on August 19, issued a 21-day ultimatum to the Federal Government for a planned nationwide strike. The notice was part of the resolutions reached at the national executive council meeting of the union, which was held at the University of Ibadan. The Union had earlier in July this year threatened to embark on an indefinite strike over the non-implementation of the renegotiated 2009 agreement with the Federal Government.
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Speaking on the meeting, the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, said the meeting resolved that ASUU leadership would take decisions reached to members and return with feedback on the next adjourned date.
Also, within the two-week window, the government is expected to act on some agreements reached at the meeting.
Prof. Mamman said, “We have had a very fruitful discussion. We have worked out modalities on how to make progress with them.
“So the task before us now is to work on those modalities to solving the problems.
“So we are coming back again, reconvening on the 6th of September, to report back progress, towards the resolution of the issues.
“This is basically what we have agreed on.”
ASUU President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, on the other hand, said: “Actually, we have met to discuss all the issues and what they (government) have done between the last time we met and today.
“We have reviewed them and agreed that let also give the government between now and our next meeting, to see what they would have done on these issues.
“So, we are meeting again on the 6th of September.
“And hopefully, we hope that in the interest of Nigerian students and Nigeria as a country, these issues should be amicably resolved, so that we can have a very smooth academic system in the country, Nigeria.”
The federal government’s delegation was led by the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, while ASUU representatives to the meeting that took place at the conference hall of the Federal Ministry of Education, were Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke and all executive members of the union, among others.