Are there any federal university students still having the hopes of resuming soon? Any hands in the air? Well, with recent information, it seems you would all have to put your hands and your hopes down.
It is definitely not breaking news that the Academic Staff Union of Universities is currently observing a strike action.
In February, The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) declared one-month warning strike which was further extended in March, after all attempts to reach a consensus with the Federal government fell through.
Chris Ngige, The Labour Minister has stated that the Federal Government of Nigeria would consider taking the Academic Staff Union of Universities to the industrial court, if the reconciliation moves to end the ongoing strike, fails.
According to Ngige, if all efforts of the Federal Government to reach an agreement with ASUU as regards the cancellation of the ongoing strike fails, then the government might file a lawsuit against the union in the industrial court.
The Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities have held meetings, however they are yet to reach an agreement, ever since the start of the industrial strike, which is rather saddening and disappointing.
While speaking in an interview with Channels Television on Thursday, Ngige warned ASUU to refrain from “intimidating”, threatening and bullying Isa Pantami, the Minister of Digital Communications and Economy, with revocation of his professorship, as well as, other officials in the ministry.
Ngige also stated that he would invite the parties involved in the matter for a meeting by the coming week and that the federal government would consider dragging the union to court if all efforts to reconcile and end the strike fails.
Ngige added in his words that, “What is happening now is we have given the Nimi Briggs committee six weeks. We are waiting for their report. The minister of education has to transmit it and say this is what we have agreed,” he said.
“He will also transmit to the presidential committee on salaries. The six-week period ends this Friday and I’m calling everybody up by next week.
“The law says we can go to the industrial arbitration panel, which is where I’m supposed to refer this matter to if reconciliation fails, or national industrial court if reconciliation fails.
“It is a double-barrel thing. I will choose the one I want. I will refer. The law says once conciliation has started at my level, you call off the strike.”
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