After five months of protest, the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, is ready to call off its industrial action.
The Federal Government, FG, and the ASUU finally reached an agreement to end the over five month old strike by ASUU. The decision came after the Union signed a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, with the FG on Wednesday evening in Abuja.
The lecturer’s association has however said that its members may return to work next week.
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| FG, ASUU sign MoU |
The Supervising Minister of Education, Mr. Nyesom Wike told journalists at a meeting with the leadership of ASUU, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Universities Commission and five vice- chancellors of universities that all contending issues between the parties have been resolved.
The parties signed a document to seal the agreement which spells great hope that the over five-month old strike may be called off within one week, although the president of ASUU, Professor Nasir Faggae declined to say what was contained in the document.
ASUU’s demands include the upward review of the retirement age for professors from 65 to 70; adequate funding to revitalise the university system; progressive increase of budgetary allocations to the education sector by 26 per cent; transfer of federal government property to universities; setting up of research and development units by companies; payment of earned allowances; and renegotiation of the signed agreement.
The Union was represented by its Chairman, Nasir Fagge, while the Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike, stood in for the government. Both confirmed the news to State House correspondents.
The agreement between the two is reached barely 24 hours after the Special Assistant on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe presented a proof of payment of N200 billion into an account with the Central Bank of Nigeria.
The strike began on July 1st 2013 and has so far lasted for over five months before this resolution was reached.
However, ASUU will address members of the press soon.
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