We’ve not called off strike, still consulting —ASUU

NATIONAL leadership of Academic Staff Union of

Universities, ASUU, yesterday, said it was not true that the

indefinite strike declared last week had been called off.

ASUU strike

There was a report, weekend, that the strike had been

suspended after the Federal Government representatives

led by Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris

Ngige, and Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu,

met with the leadership of the union in Abuja, Wednesday.

But the National President of ASUU, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi,

told Vanguard on telephone, yesterday, that there was no

truth in the alleged suspension of the strike.

Instead, he said the union was still consulting with the

relevant stakeholders on the outcome of the meeting it had

with government representatives.

Asked when the union would meet again with government

and when the National Executive Council, NEC, of ASUU

would meet to take final decision, Ogunyemi said for now

he was not aware of when to meet with government

representatives and that it was after consultation that the

NEC would meet.

Vanguard reliably gathered that the principal officers of

ASUU, including zonal officers, met on Saturday at the

union’s secretariat Gwagwalada to review the meeting with

government representatives and the offer so far made by

government.

A source within the union said it was not possible for the

national executive to call off strike without consulting the

zonal and branch executives which will meet to get

mandate from members before taking any decision.

Recall that ASUU declared indefinite strike on Monday last

week over contentious issues with the Federal Government

which included the non implementation of the 2009

agreement the union and the government entered into.