In another development, the Federal Government has begun moves to prevent a strike in the country’s public universities as the Academic Staff Union of Universities’ three-week deadline ended on Sunday. Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, in an interview with newsmen on Sunday, said the ministry had written a letter to the Ministry of Finance on the payment of allowances to staff of universities.
ASUU had on November 15 given the Federal Government a three-week ultimatum over government failure to meet its demands The lecturers threatened to embark on industrial action following the government’s unfaithfulness in implementation of the Memorandum of Action it signed with the union upon which last year’s strike action was suspended. Meanwhile, ASUU President, Emmanuel Osodeke said the union will meet on Sunday to take a decision on the issue.