Following the industrial action taken by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the Minister for Education, Adamu Adamu has admitted that the Federal Government is at least in part responsible for the situation given that they failed to live up to their end of an agreement reached with the body.
Speaking with State House correspondents after the weekly meeting of the Federal Executive Council, Adamu did say however that he was displeased that ASUU refused to follow due process with their industrial action.
He said he was optimistic that a meeting to be held soon could yield good results and that he believed that an agreement would be reached at the meeting and the strike would be called off.
He said; “It is very sad that I am here and ASUU is on strike. Late last year, we had a meeting because ASUU gave one week notice of strike and we were able to work out an agreement.
I must confess that the government has not fulfilled its part of the bargain. Though we are unhappy that ASUU went on this strike without following due process by giving us notice, we realised that we promised something and we didn’t fulfil it.
“I hope I will be meeting them later today or tomorrow and I am sure we will be able to reach an agreement so that the strike will be called off as soon as possible.
“I am sure you are aware of the issues. There is the issue of re-negotiation and we set up a re-negotiation team; negotiation is ongoing.
“There is the issue of Earned Allowances and I think because of some communication gaps, what we promised could not be done, but I am assuring ASUU and the nation that this is going to be done.
“There is the issue of registration for Nigerian Universities Pension Commission. I think there are a few issues that need to be sorted out with the Nigerian Pension Commission. There will be no problem.
“On the issue of their staff school, the court has given them verdict to go ahead with it. They have requested that they should be allowed to stay off TSA and I think the government will not do this.
I hope later on when I meet them today, there will be a total agreement.”