The minister of labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, has expressed optimism that the prolonged strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities will be resolved by next week when the Federal Government team meets the union leaders again. The minister however said the Nigerian government will consider “options” if ASUU fails to resolve its issues by then and continues strike. Ngige complained that the union was not considering the challenges their demands would create. The minister said even if countries go to war, they eventually meet at the negotiation table. He said “There are so many options left. We have the labour laws and I have options left to me in the labour laws. I have other channels.”
“I’m inviting them (ASUU) next week, we are doing side meetings on our part. I’m collating responses from the Accountant General of the Federation’s Office and everybody who has something to do with this matter.”
On the return of students to classes, Ngige said he was hopeful that it would not take long.
Speaking on Politics Today on Channels Television on Friday, Ngige confirmed that government had consented to try out University Transparency Academic Solution (UTAS), the payment platform ASUU proposed when it turned down the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS).
The former Anambra State Governor said the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) had completed the first phase of UTAS assessment.
The union had on March 24 2020 commence an indefinite industrial action over the failure of the Federal Government to keep to the 2019 Memorandum of Action between them as well as the lingering disagreement over the IPPIS that ASUU rejected.
