'Call Off This Strike', Education Minister Appeals To ASUU

He made the appeal on behalf of the Federal Government while addressing a news conference on Monday in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory. “As the Minister of Education, I feel your pain; I share your concern and I am willing to go to any mile so that together we can change the narrative of this country for the better,” Adamu said. “I want to use this opportunity to appeal to ASUU to put off this strike in the name of the country, and in view of what the situation is.” The minister stressed that it was important for the leadership of the union to suspend the industrial action for proper negotiation to take place. He explained that while the government was already engaging the union to address the issues raised, negotiating under the pressure of strike may lead to coming up with agreements that would not be implementable. Adamu said, “Come, let us continue the talk; it is something that we have already started. And I am optimistic that dialogue will produce better results.” “For us to negotiate under the pressure of strike, we will end up producing the kind of agreement we had in 2009, which almost all stakeholders have agreed is not easily implementable,” he added. The minister further assured the aggrieved lecturers that the government was already making efforts to address their concerns. One of these, according to him, is the fund being demanded by ASUU which he said would be released by the government soon. “The issue of the release of N20 billion to the universities – on this, let me state in unequivocal terms that I am in touch with the Minister of Finance and that she is very optimistic this will be released in the coming weeks.” Mr Adamu addressed reporters a day after the leadership of ASUU ordered its members to commence a total and indefinite strike, following a meeting at the Federal University of Technology, Akure in Ondo State. The union through its national president, Professor Abiodun Ogunyemi, had accused the government of making cheap promises, saying they would not be swayed by such.]]>