ASUU to Extend Strike, Displeased over Ngige’s Statement

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has threatened to extend its ongoing strike. The rollover strike which has entered its 10^th week is supposed to end in two weeks, but the union hasn’t gotten a positive feedback from the Federal Government. ASUU has condemned the Federal Government for not handling the strike as priority, says it has been nonchalant towards the industrial action.

Minister of Labour, Chris Ngige, while featuring as a guest on Channels TV told the union to meet with Benimi Briggs Committee, saying the decision to suspend the strike could only be taken by the union.

When he was asked when the issue would be resolved, he responded ‘’It depends on ASUU.’’ ‘’The ball is in their court, they should meet the Benimi Briggs Committee and look at what the committee is doing and make further inputs so that the work can be accelerated.’’

However, on Sunday, April 24, the President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, condemned Ngige for his comment, saying it was shameful for him to tell the union to liaise with another group and not the government.

He further said that as the federal Government has responded nor reached out to them, the union might have no choice but to roll over the strike after the slated date for expiration.

In his words:

‘’The rollover ends in two weeks, and there is no information, nothing new from the FG. They didn’t make any effort to get in touch with us or seek ways of ending the strike.

‘’Our members will decide after two weeks what step to take. We will meet. We are not begging them for discussion; they should invite us for any meeting. That’s the way it should be. We are not on strike with Ngige or Briggs but against the government, so why is he saying we should go and meet one committee or one person? We are on strike against a system .Ngige just talks without thinking. Are we on strike with an individual?