The meeting between the leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the federal government has again ended without an agreement that will lead to the suspension of the over six months old strike by public university lecturers
The striking lecturers met with the Chairman of the re-negotiation Committee Professor Nimi Briggs committee in Abuja, with the hope of resolving the impasse that led to the ongoing strike.
Speaking with Radio Nigeria on the outcome of the meeting, President of ASUU ,Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke said the meeting yielded no positive outcome to end the over six months old strike.
Professor Osodeke explained that ASUU only met with the Prof.Nimi Briggs-led Committee and the Union had expected the government to sign its agreement or present acceptable compromise but failed to present any progressive position.
ASUU has been on strike since February 14 this year, over issues surrounding the lack of funding for public universities, disagreement over salaries payment platforms, and unpaid earned allowances, as contained in the agreement with the federal government in 2009.
Efforts to renegotiate these agreements, and end incessant strike in public universities, started in 2017 when the federal government inaugurated a committee headed by Chief Wale Babalakin, which was later replaced by professor Munzali Jibril in 2020, but the exercise was halted by the outbreak of COVID-19.
Professor Nimi Briggs took over the renegotiation in may 2021, and has since then not been able to reach any tangible agreement with the universities’ unions, a development that has grounded government-owned universities since February 14 this year.
RADIO NIGERIA