*The Federal Government of Nigera has said it will resume talks with members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, by next week, towards reaching a practical solution on the lingering strike by the country’s University lecturers

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

As part of the measures towards ending the lingering strike by the lecturers, the Federal Government of Nigera has said it will resume talks with members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) by next week.

ConsumerConnect reports Sen. (Dr.) Chris Ngige, Honourable Minister for Labour and Employment, said this Friday, May 6, 2022, in his opening remarks at a meeting with the striking National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT).

Patience Onuobia, Acting Spokesperson of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, in a statement issued Friday, in Abuja, FCT, noted the Minister said: “As a conciliator, I manage you people in measured steps. That is why I want to take all of you holistically, and I ask for your cooperation.

“When I finish with you today, I will continue with ASUU next week.”

“I have done NASU and SSANU yesterday and they were happy. I want you people to be happy as we leave here.”

Need for cooperation, open-door policy

Sen. Ngige also stated that incessant strikes in the country’s education sector could have been averted if the unions embraced his open-door policy.

He said: “If you are from any Union, you don’t need to book an appointment to see me. The doctors started using that advantage, and JOHESU also did the same.

“That is why the health sector is quiet. But the education unions don’t take advantage of my open-door policy.”

The Minister further said: “We don’t have to cry over spilt milk. Let us look at your issues to see the ones we can handle immediately, the ones we can do in the medium term and the ones we can do in the long term.

“There are certain ones that are over and above me, that are not in my hands to do.

“My job is to prepare an agreement after conciliation on what you have agreed with your employers, the Federal Ministry of Education, put timelines and monitor them, to see whether the results will be there.”

According to Ngige, the strikes in the sector were mainly due to economic reasons and he says with dialogue, the solution would be reached.

It is also noted that the current measure is the Federal Government’s effort at ending the industrial action, which ASUU resumed February 14 this year.

Students of the University of Benin (UNIBEN), in Edo State, recently protested in Benin City, urging the concerned authorities to reopen public universities across the country.

Several high-profile personalities including the First Lady of Lagos State, Ibironke Sanwo-Olu, have also waded into the matter.