Ngige Opens Up on FG's Plan To Ensure ASUU Doesn't Embark on Strike
- There seems to be hope for Nigerian students as the federal government has assured that ASUU would not be allowed to embark on strike action
- The assurance was given by the minister of labour and employment, Chris Ngige on Wednesday, November 17
- Ngige said the money needed to settle the aggrieved members of the union is available and in the accounts of the ministry of education for appropriate disbursement
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The minister of labour and employment, Chris Ngige, has assured Nigerians that the federal government will ensure that members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) does not embark on strike action.
Ngige said the federal government will begin the process of paying ASUU members their outstanding funds.
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Speaking on Channels Television's Politics Today monitored by Legit.ng, the minister said the funds needed to offset the debt is available.
He also said that the union would not be paid directly but the money would be transferred to the universities' accounts.
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He added that he (Ngige) had a meeting with the minister of state for education and that the situation will be evaluated to make sure that the disbursement of the funds does on as planned.
Also speaking on receiving notice of strike action from the union, Ngige said the FG was never notified.
He said:
“No. I’m still in the office (as of 7 pm) and I’m working. Till now, I have not gotten communication from them but that is not to say that having seen that they have been addressing press conferences that they have issued an ultimatum, that the government won’t be proactive or the Ministry of Labour will not be proactive.”
Federal Government's resolves to end dispute with ASUU
He added that FG's key mandate is to settle industrial disputes by making contact with their members' real employers (the ministry of education and the National Universities Commission).
Ngige said:
“The fund is ready. The fund is in the account of the National Universities Commission and the ministry of education. They were doing what they called auditing of the earlier disbursed funds.
“Universities were supposed to retire the earlier funds given to them. As of the last meeting, 11 universities had not satisfactorily done that and, therefore, we gave a timeframe of two weeks to get those universities to conform and they would release the money.”
ASUU threatens FG with strike action over unmet demands
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that ASUU had in a press conference announced its plan to embark on industrial action.
The union during the conference which took place on Monday, November 15, issued a three weeks ultimatum to the federal government.
The national president of the union, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, the strike action would commence should the FG fail to meet ASUU's demands within the slated time.
House of Representatives summons ASUU national president
Also, the speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, summoned ASUU national president over the recent threat of strike action by the union.
The speaker said after a motion moved by Professor Julius Ihonvbere, chairman of House Committee on Basic Education, said there is a need for an emergency meeting for parties involved in the matter.
Source: Legit.ng
