Pascal Arogorn Ibe
The Federal Government has postponed the negotiation meeting with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) earlier scheduled for Wednesday (today).
Notice of the postponement was contained in a message by Charles Akpan, deputy director, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment.
“The meeting between ASUU and the Federal Government earlier scheduled for today (Wednesday) by 3 pm has been postponed. Thank you for your understanding,” Akpan said in the message.
ASUU has been on strike since March this year over the non-payment of Earned Academic Allowances, non-provision of revitalisation fund, among others.
Chris Ngige, minister of labour and employment, recently announced that government had agreed to make available N70 billion for Earned Allowances which include other three university-based unions, and the revitalisation fund.
Ngige on Tuesday said that the Federal Government has kept its promises with the university teachers, adding that the government had faithfully complied with timeliness in the offer is made to the union.
“For instance, the Federal Government promised to constitute a Negotiation Committee for the 2009 Agreement and has fulfilled it with the last week’s inauguration of the committee that has Prof Muzali as chairman,” Ngige said.
“The N40bn Earned Academic Allowances/Earned Allowances have also been processed just as the N30b revitalization fund, bringing it to a total of N70bn.
“Likewise, the Visitation Panels for the Universities have been approved by the president but the panel cannot perform its responsibilities until the shut universities are re-opened,” he said.
Ngige said the gazetting is also being rounded off at the Office of Attorney General of the Federation while the Ministry of Education is ready to inaugurate the various visitation panels.
“Similarly, the government agreed to pay salaries, allowances of Earned Academic Allowances/ Earned Allowances with a hybrid platform that is not hundred percent IPPIS as requested by ASUU while UTAS is undergoing usability and integrity test at National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) as demanded by ASUU.
“I, therefore, state without equivocation that every offer with timeline has been faithfully fulfilled as promised by the government,” he said.
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