After eight months, Reps, ASUU raise hope for strike suspension
…Strike to end in few days – Gbajabiamila
…We have seen light at end of tunnel — ASUU
By Matthew Denis, Abuja
The Leadership of the House of Representatives and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) have raised hope that the eight months old strike embarked upon by may soon be called off, following engagement by both parties and other concerned stakeholders.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, on Monday at the end of a meeting with ASUU leadership led by the President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, in Abuja said the Union would suspend its eight-month-old strike in a few days.
The speaker who disclosed this to journalists, said most of the issues that caused the protracted crisis between ASUU and the FG had been resolved and that the strike would end “in a matter of days.”
On his part, Osodeke said if the House had intervened in the manner earlier, the strike would have been over in a matter of days.
He expressed happiness at the progress recorded in the efforts at resolving the impasse in the last few days
“ASUU has now seen light at the end of the tunnel on this issue and we are happy about this,” Osodeke stated.
Recall, the Union embarked on strike on February 14 over the Federal Government’s refusal to honour agreements reached by both parties.
The union’s demands include the revitalisation of public universities, payment of earned academic allowances, and adoption of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) as a payment platform in the universities, among others.
The Court of Appeal had last week ordered the striking varsity teachers to suspend their strike and return to classrooms.
The judgment followed an earlier verdict of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) which similarly ordered the Union to suspend their strike, pending the determination of the substantive case with it and the Federal Government.
Not satisfied with the decision, ASUU’s resort to appeal met same judgment by the appellate court last week.
The suit to compel ASUU back to work was instituted by the Federal Government after several talks with the Union failed.
The leadership of the House had opted to intervene following the stalemate between both parties. The Speaker had earlier met President Muhammadu Buhari to present to him, recommendations arrived at from meeting with the Union and other stakeholders.
