Tuesday’s meeting between the leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, and the Federal Government has again ended without an agreement. This means the six-month old strike by public university lecturers will continue. The striking lecturers had met with the Professor Nimi Briggs Committee on Tuesday at the National University Commission in Abuja with high hopes of resolving the impasse. A senior member of ASUU, who spoke under anonymity said members of the Briggs renegotiation committee did not come with any new offer on the table.
According to the source, the committee pleaded with the lecturers to suspend the ongoing strike, with promises that their concerns will be included in the 2023 budget. The source said the meeting, which started in the afternoon, lasted for about three hours without any agreement reached. ASUU embarked on a four-week warning strike on February 14 and on March 14, the union extended the industrial action by another two months to allow the government meet all of its demands on improved welfare, revitalization of public universities and academic autonomy among other demands.
Chidozie Chima | August 27, 2024
