The Federal Government of Nigeria has reportedly offered ASUU the sum of N65bn to call off its long term strike. The offer was presented during a meeting in Abuja on Friday by the Minister of labour and employment, Chris Ngige.
Speaking during the meeting, the Minister disclosed that the offer was to cater for earned academic allowances and revitalization of universities which are part of the union’s demands. He went further to explain that 23% of the funds is aimed at addressing the issue of revitalizing universities.
Furthermore, the N15 billion naira offered to this end will see the funds to revitalize universities rise up to N35 billion after N20 billion was earlier offered to the union.
The Minister of labour and employment also stated that vice-chancellors of public universities are to submit EAA/EA details before the 30th of November after which the meeting was adjourned till next Friday to enable stakeholders come to a resolve.
It can be recalled that the union had embarked on an indefinite strike eight months ago over unfulfillment of agreement terms reached with the Federal Government in 2009.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities has had several meetings with the FG since the strike began earlier this year but to no avail. The union had also rejected an offer to adopt the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) while presenting it’s University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) as an alternative within this period.
