The Federal government is willing to strike an agreement with the striking members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), according to the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu.
After the Federal Executive Council meeting today, February 16, Adamu told statehouse correspondents that he was shocked that the lecturers would choose to go on strike when the Federal Government was addressing the issues they had highlighted.
At the end of the Federal Executive Council meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, the minister speaking to reporters said, “ASUU, unfortunately, they have gone on strike and I am looking for them because all the issues are being addressed.
“The last thing that happened was that our committee looked at their demands, but there are renegotiations going on. The Federal Government is ready to meet them on all issues they have raised and if there are so many meetings and the gap is not closing, then I think it’s not the fault of the government.”
The Minister added, “There is a solution to this; the negotiations are the solution and that is why I have said that I am surprised that ASUU has gone on strike. They submitted a draft agreement which the ministry is looking at. A committee is looking at it. Immediately it finishes, the government is meant to announce what it has accepted. Then suddenly, I heard them going on strike. We want a peaceful resolution.”
The minister also responded to ASUU’s allegations that he has continually shied away from negotiations and sends representatives. According to the Minister, he has called every meeting and has been present at everyone, with the exception of when he was in Germany for medical treatment.
When asked if the government and ASUU would reach an agreement before the 30-day strike’s ending, the minister stated that he doesn’t know.
“I can’t give you time. I am ready to reach an agreement with ASUU now, but since I’m not the only one, I can’t give you time. But certainly, we are going to reach an agreement very soon,” he said.
Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, the president of ASUU, announced a one-month warning strike on Monday, claiming that the union never wished to commence the industrial action but that the Federal government was unresponsive to its requests.
The academics also cited the government’s failure to follow the Memorandum of Action it signed with them in December 2020 as a factor in their decision.
