FG cancels meeting with ASUU on strike

A meeting between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities has been cancelled by the Ministry of Labour and Employment.

The spokesman, Ministry of Labour and Employment, Charles Akpan, stated this in a statement but did not give reasons for the development.

This is the second time in two weeks that the scheduled meeting was postponed by the government.

It was, however, gathered that ASUU was still consulting with its organs on the latest offer by the government.

ASUU National President, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, had earlier said the appropriate organ of the union was still considering the Federal Government’s offer.

He denied the union agreed to end its strike on Wednesday, December 9 as claimed by the FG.

Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, in a statement, said ASUU promised to call of the strike by December 9, 2020.

But Ogunyemi said, “ASUU leadership did not reach any understanding with government to suspend the strike on December 9, 2020, and there is nothing in the government offer of November 27, 2020 to suggest that conclusion as allegedly claimed by the Minister of Labour and Employment.

“At our last meeting in the office of the Minister of Labour and Employment on November 27, 2020, the ASUU leadership promised to faithfully present the latest government offer to its members through the established tradition.”