Representatives of the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) convened on Wednesday in an effort to prevent an imminent strike by university lecturers. They plan to meet again on September 6.
The Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, made the announcement in Abuja, stating that the government is collaborating with ASUU to develop strategies to address the ongoing issues.
He also revealed the formation of a new executive leadership for the pro-chancellors to address the lecturers’ concerns.
In addition, a joint committee comprising members of ASUU, the Federal Ministry of Education, the National Universities Commission (NUC), and the Ministry of Labour has been established to expedite the resolution of outstanding issues, particularly those with presidential directives.
The minister noted that the committee will reconvene next week to review feedback and progress on the implementation of these measures.
ASUU is expected to provide detailed information on unpaid salaries for staff on sabbatical, part-time, and adjunct appointments affected by the implementation of the IPPIS, as well as outstanding third-party deductions.
This information will be forwarded to the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation for further action.
Recently, university lecturers threatened to go on strike over the Federal Government’s alleged failure to meet their demands.
The primary focus of the meeting, initially scheduled for Monday but postponed, was to prevent another nationwide strike and enhance security across universities.
Mamman emphasized the Federal Government’s commitment to improving security within the education system, assuring that the government will continue to take appropriate actions to keep students on campus.