ASUU: How Fresh Disagreement Stalled Negotiations – Education Minister

The Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, has announced that all tertiary education unions that are currently on strike will end their industrial actions within the next one week with the exception of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

The six striking unions are, the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP); Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU); Non-Academic Staff Union of Allied and Education Institutions (NASU); Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU); National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT); and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

Adamu made this known on Thursday during the 47th Session of the State House Ministerial Briefing organised by the Presidential Communications Team at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja.

According to the Minister, the first five unions had agreed to the terms that the government offered them at a previous meeting and are likely to call off the strike within one week, however, ASUU has a few more demands which the government has refused to consent to.

“I have 6 unions I am dealing with, ASUP, COESU, NASU, SSANU, NAAT and ASUU. Following the meeting with the President where the Education Ministry took control of the strike negotiations, one week after that meeting, I had given all unions the offer made by the government and all of them agreed to the offer, with the exception of ASUU.

“ASUU stated two conditions that would make them accept the offer, which I reported back to the government and they were turned down. After that I called the (2009 FG- ASUU) renegotiation committee two days ago, told them my decision with regards to ASUU’s conditions and instructed them to continue with the renegotiation and allow ASUU to tell them their official position. They met yesterday and the day before and ASUU is currently consulting their principals as well as their members on the campuses on whether or not to call of the strike,” he explained.

He revealed that the condition ASUU gave the government grant was the payment of their staff salaries for the months when they have been on strike.