Richard Ginika Izuora
The Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) may have settled the eight-month rift that resulted in a strike action which has also crippled academic activities in the public universities since March.
The union leadership reached the consensus during a meeting with the government team led by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, in Abuja, on Friday.
Government reportedly pledged to pay N40 billion as the Earned Allowance and N30 billion for the revitalisation of the university system bringing the total payment to N70 billion.
The Federal Government further agreed to settle the arrears of salaries of the lecturers before December 31.
This is coming one week after the Federal Government accepted the demand by the ASUU that they be exempted from the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System pending the approval of their proposed payment system, the University Transparency and Accountability Solution.
The ASUU is expected to report the agreement to its organs and then communicate their decision to the government after which a date for the calling off of the strike would be announced.
Speaking to the media after the meeting, Ngige said the meeting was fruitful, adding that the government made a proposal to ASUU which it would take back to its members.
He said, “Many issues were discussed at the meeting including salary shortfall, the payment system and revitalisation of the university system. I am positive that all the issues would be resolved at our next meeting.”
However, ASUU President, Prof Biodun Ogunyemi, in reaction said everything Ngige said was correct and declined further comment.