The federal government and the leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, are meeting to finalise grey areas that could possibly lead to end of the ongoing strike.
Prompt News reports that University lecturers have been on strike since March 2020, insisting that the strike will be on unless government meets their demands.
ASUU is demanding for renegotiation of the 2009 agreement and release of funds for revitalization of the University system.
Also, the union is demanding mainstreaming of earned academic allowances into salaries and adoption of UTAS platform for payment of salaries in place of the IPPIS.
The union is also concerned about proliferation of State Universities among others.
At the last meeting, there were positive indications that the strike could be called off today (Friday) as the government team demonstrated some level of seriousness.
According to the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, government has offered to release N65 billion covering earned academic allowances and fund for revitalization of university system.
Also, government agreed to pay all outstanding salaries using the IPPIS platform while the integrity test being conducted on the UTAS platform continues.
Sequel to the offer from government, ASUU led by Prof Biodun Ogunyemi, directed all its local branches to hold Congress to determine whether the strike should go on or be called off.
It is expected that today’s meeting being presided over by Minister Ngige with his deputy, Festus Keyamo in attendance, will see to the end of the nine months strike – #asuustrike.
