Talks To Resolve University Unions’ Strike In Advanced Stage

The Nigerian government says negotiations with the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) are at an advanced stage.

It said the talks aim to resolve the ongoing industrial action taken by the unions at public universities across the country.

The former Minister of State, Education, Dr. Yusuf Sununu on the mandate of the New Minister of Education, Dr. Morufu Olatunji Alausa stated this after chairing the meeting between the Unions and the government in Abuja on Thursday.

The ex Minister explained that efforts were ongoing to resolve the issues raised by the Unions amicably so that duties performed by the non Academic Unions could commence in earnest.

He said; “The meeting was a fruitful one. We have briefed them on the effort of the government and position of things. The government is taking a holistic approach to the matter and discussions have reached an advanced stage to meet their demands.

“We will continue to work together so that the strike can be brought to an end as soon as possible.”

Dr. Sununu said that the government was committed to a stable educational system in the country as such finding a lasting solution to the lingering crisis in the system.

The Chairman, Joint Action Committee of the NASU and SSANU, Hassan Makolo said the meeting was a productive one, stressing that, if the assurances given by the government delegation were fulfilled, the strike would be called off in hours.

“We had a very frank discussions on the issues at stake. JAC of SSANU and NASU are not strike mongers. There are issues that always lead to strike. Apart from the current strike, we have also discussed a number of issues that would crop up tomorrow. We have come to very clear understanding, particularly for the issues at stake that members of the JAC are on strike.

“We came to understanding that within some hours, if all we discussed here go well, things will be okay. And what doing we mean by going well. By the time the members started telling us that they have started hearing or seeing alert (from banks). It means we have come to the end of the struggle for this particular strike.

“We believe that we would not have course to come back here to agitate on the same issue again,” Makolo said.

The unions, under JAC, began an indefinite strike on Monday this week due to four months of unpaid salaries, leading to a shutdown of university activities nationwide.

The unions are demanding, among others, the payment of the four-month withheld salaries, improved remuneration, earned allowances and implementation of the 2009 agreements with the government.

Mercy Chukwudiebere