Strike: SSANU, ASUU, FG’s Negotiation Committee meet this week

The Federal Universities striking Unions and Federal Government (FG) Negotiation committee will meet this week in an effort to end the ongoing strike.

The President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, has said the union and FG will be meeting this week.

Speaking with Punch, Prof Emmanuel said: “Yes, we are meeting this week.”

He, however, didn’t mention the specific date.

Similarly, the Joint Action Committee of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the on-Academic Staff Union of Educational (NASU) are also set to meet with the Federal Government’s negotiation team led by Prof. Nimi Briggs on Friday, Punch reports.

“I can confirm that we truly received invitation to meet with the Nimi Briggs committee on Friday. That is official and I can authoritatively confirm that to you,” the National President, SSANU, Muhammed Ibrahim, told Punch.

Recall unions whose strike has lasted for 140days are agitating because of the inconsistent issue with the Integrated Payroll and Personnel information system, unpaid earned allowances, delay in the renegotiation of the FGN, NASU, SSANU agreements, non-payment of minimum wage arrears, neglect and poor funding of state universities, non-payment of retirement benefits to outgoing members of the unions, among others.

meanwhile, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Education, Ben Goong, has disclosed that the ministry would address journalists on Thursday in Abuja.

“The minister will break silence on the issue of strike on Thursday. He will be speaking at the State House. All the issues will be addressed,” told Punch in an interview.

This is coming a just few weeks after the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) demanded the immediate sack of the Education Minister over his inability to end the ongoing strike.