ASUU: Nigerian govt reacts to suspension of strike, vows to prevent future occurrences

The Nigerian government has said it is taking measures to ensure industrial harmony in the country’s public universities after lecturers suspended an eight-month strike.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) suspended its eight-month strike on Friday in compliance with an appellate court’s judgement and following President Muhammadu Buhari’s appeal, the union said.

The union added, however, that the government has not ‘satisfactorily’ met its demands.

Reacting to the development, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, said the government will ensure that Nigerian tertiary institutions do not experience such disruptive strikes in the future.

He added that the National Industrial Court will address the substantive issues between ASUU and the government.

“We wish to assure that with the decision, steps and measures being taken by the current administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, in the holistic repositioning of higher education, a groundwork is being laid, of which we are confident, will save Nigerians, this unpalatable experience of incessant strike in future,” he said in a statement by the Deputy Director Press in the Ministry, Olajide Oshundun.

“It is our hope that now that the strike has been called off, the National Industrial Court will deal with the substantive issues as contained in the referral letter by the Honourable Minister. This is to ensure that justice is given to all parties including ASUU and their employers- the Federal Ministry of Education who acts on behalf of the Federal Government.”

After six months of strike and multiple meetings without a resolution, the minister referred the dispute to the industrial court and sought an order for the union to suspend the strike while the suit is being heard. The court agreed and ordered the lecturers’ union to suspend the strike.

Dissatisfied with the ruling, ASUU approached the Court of Appeal, the final court for cases from the industrial court, where the union was told to obey the ruling of the industrial court before filing an appeal.

“Now that ASUU has decided to obey the judgement of the National Industrial Court by calling off the devastating action, we apologise to all students and parents, of which the Honourable Minister is one, for this unduly prolonged strike, which is unwarranted ab initio,” Mr Ngige said.

The minister also expressed gratitude to all Nigerians who participated in various ways in the negotiations leading to the suspension of the eight-month strike.

He said: “In a special way, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige recognizes the patriotic efforts of the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Saad Abubakar III, the former President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Rev. Supo Ayokunle and all members of Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) whose wisdom and intervention raised a ray of hope while the strike was at infancy but for ASUU’s intransigence to negotiation.”

Qosim Suleiman is a reporter at Premium Times in partnership with Report for the World, which matches local newsrooms with talented emerging journalists to report on under-covered issues around the globe