Agreement with ASUU a win-win for all parties

Chris Ngige and ASUU leader Ogunyemi

By Muhaimin Olowoporoku

Labour Minister Chris Ngige said the agreement between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) was a win-win situation for both parties.

ASUU which called off its 9-month-old strike on Wednesday threatened another strike if the government fails in meeting the agreement reached with the university lecturers.

However, Ngige on Thursday in an interview on Politics Today, Channels TV said that he would ensure the government fulfils its part of the agreement.

The minister said that the N40bn Earned Allowance that ASUU demanded would also be paid before December 31 2020.

Ngige also said that the government has up till January 31, 2021, to pay the Revitalisation (Fund).

He noted that a window has been put in the agreement such that by February 2021, the government and ASUU would meet again to review the situation.

“We have also opened the window that by end of February, we will sit down and review the situation, eight weeks or nine weeks from now, so nobody will keep anybody in suspense.

The minister who has been in charge of negotiation with ASUU said he would not give ASUU the opportunity to go on strike again and ensure the government does its bit.

On threats that the union would return to strike without informing the government, Ngige said ASUU is aware of labour laws.