Talks Between Government and Striking Lecturers Hit Brick Wall

By Derrick Bangura

As the strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) entered its 61st day on Saturday, the federal government’s move to renegotiate a deal reached with the university lecturers has witnessed a setback.

This followed the insistence by ASUU that the government should first pay the accrued N200 billion revitalisation fund for revamping the dilapidated infrastructure in the various institutions before it calls off the strike or engage in further negotiations.
The federal government had disclosed that it had set up a renegotiation committee to dialogue further with the lecturers to amend the earliest proposals in line with current economic realities.
Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, who stated the government’s position at a recent function in Abuja, said the renegotiation of conditions of service of the university lecturers, must be guided by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) principle of ability to pay.
As the strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) entered its 61st day on Saturday, the federal government’s move to renegotiate a deal reached with the university lecturers has witnessed a setback.

This followed the insistence by ASUU that the government should first pay the accrued N200 billion revitalisation fund for revamping the dilapidated infrastructure in the various institutions before it calls off the strike or engage in further negotiations.
The federal government had disclosed that it had set up a renegotiation committee to dialogue further with the lecturers to amend the earliest proposals in line with current economic realities.
Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, who stated the government’s position at a recent function in Abuja, said the renegotiation of conditions of service of the university lecturers, must be guided by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) principle of ability to pay.