ASUU, SSANU, NASU, disagree with Ngige, insist no agreements with govt

The striking Academic Staff Union of Universities, (ASUU), and other unions in the tertiary education sector in Nigeria including the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), have debunked a report by Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige on Saturday that the Federal Government has reached some agreements with the unions which would see the strike called off this week.

Ngige, had in a statement, expressed optimism that “recent agreements reached between the Federal Government and the striking members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) as well as other unions in the education sector, would soon yield good fruits.”

“We had a cordial and fruitful discussion; we looked at the issues dispassionately and reached some agreements, to the satisfaction of everybody in attendance,” Ngige had said.

However, the unions have refuted the Minister’s claims, saying there was no such agreement reached between the FG and the unions which could lead to calling off the industrial actions.

In an interview with Punch Newspaper on Sunday, ASUU National President, Prof Emmanuel Osodeke said there was nothing at a meeting held by the unions and the FG to suggest there was an end in sight to the lingering strike.

“We are not aware that we are calling off the strike. We met but there was nothing concrete between us and the government.

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“Like we said before, we do not want promises, we want actions; if they show action and implement all the issues, we will go to our members, but knowing their antecedents, we know they will not do anything.

“They promised us since December 2020 and it is going to a year and a half, they have not done anything. We are waiting for them.

“As far as we are concerned, only when they sign our agreements, accept UTAS, release EAA and revitalisation funds will we call the strikes off,” Prof. Osodeke said.

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