FG offers ASUU N65bn to resolve dispute

• Two parties to meet again next Fri

The Federal Government has offered the Academic Staff Union of Universities the sum of N65 billion in order to call off its eight-month strike.

Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, announced the offer on behalf of the government during a meeting with the union in Abuja on Friday.

He said funds were meant to address the union’s demands which include earned academic allowances and revitalisation of universities.

The minister said of the amount, N15 billion would be dedicated for revitalisation of universities.

He said the offer followed the N20 billion earlier offered to the union, which made it N35 billion earmarked to revitalise universities.

Ngige also called on vice-chancellors across public universities to submit details of the EAA/EA to the National Universities Commission before November 30.

The meeting was adjourned till next Friday for the stakeholders to further concretize the resolutions.

ASUU had embarked on an indefinite strike in March over non-implementation of agreements and resolutions the federal government reached with the union in 2009.

It had also opposed the adoption of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) while presenting its University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) as an alternative.

The union has had several meetings with the federal government since the strike commenced but no agreement has been reached.