Ngige hopeful of fruitful end to strike as ASUU, SSANU, NASU, NAAT, NLC meet FG team

THE unending industrial actions embarked by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), may come to an end in no distant time as the negotiation meeting between the Federal Government and unions last night apparently ended no a fruitful note. 

Held at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa Abuja, the meeting was chaired by the Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Professor Agboola Gambari, while the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, played the role of conciliator. 

In attendance at the meeting were representatives of ASUU, SSANU, NASU and top members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), led by Comrade Ayuba Wabba. Speaking to journalists at the end of the meeting, Ngige said, “We have reached some agreements and we hope that by next week, those agreements will be maturing and the different unions will have something to tell their members so that they can call off the strike. 

“We have put some timelines for some aspects like the renegotiation of the 2009 agreement in terms of the condition of service and wage review. 

“So, we are hopeful that by next weekend, the unions will see a conclusion in that area.” 

At the time of filing this report, the union leaders have not made any comment regarding the meeting.