Strike: FG, ASUU reach agreement

The federal government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) concluded a closed-door meeting on Wednesday with an agreement to resolve all outstanding issues and prevent a potential strike.

Both parties also committed to initiating a communication process to avert any industrial action by the union.

The meeting, held at the Ministry of Education’s headquarters in Abuja starting at 4:30 p.m., lasted over two hours.

In attendance were Education Ministers Tahir Mamman and Yusuf Sununu, along with other senior officials from the ministry. ASUU President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, led the union’s delegation.

After the meeting, Prof. Osodeke briefed journalists, stating that discussions had begun and expressing optimism that the federal government would follow up on the agreed points.

“We have addressed all the issues and assigned tasks to certain individuals to chart a path forward,” Osodeke said.

He added that ASUU would relay the meeting’s outcomes to its members, stressing the importance of resolving these matters for the benefit of students and the nation.

Minister Mamman confirmed that immediate consultations would commence to tackle the challenges facing the education sector.

He described the meeting as productive and noted ongoing consultations on issues beyond the ministry’s purview.

Previously, ASUU had threatened a nationwide strike if the government did not address its demands within a two-week ultimatum.

Key issues include removal from IPPIS, renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU Agreement, backlog of Earned Academic Allowance (EAA), and outstanding salaries.