The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU has agreed to call off its 8-months strike which has grounded academic activities in the public universities since March.
The President of the union had reached the agreement during a meeting with the Federal Government team that was led by Dr Chris Ngige, the Minister of Labour and Employment, in Abuja, on Friday.
The Federal Government had also promise to pay N40 billion as the Earned Allowance and N30bn for the revitalisation of the university system bringing the total payment to N70 billion.
The FG added the agreement to settle the arrears of salaries of the lecturers before December 31. Recall H-Forbes had reported that no hope in sight to end or suspend strike
This is happening 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.
ASUU is expected to report the concensus to its organs and then communicate their decision to the Federal Government after which a date for the calling off of the strike would be announced publicly.
According to our source, ASUU insisted that the agreement should not be disclosed until it has been approved by its members.
Speaking to journalists after the meeting, Ngige said the parley was fruitful, restating 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.”
The President of ASUU, Prof Biodun Ogunyemi, simply stated that everything Ngige had said was correct and declined further comment.