The House of Representatives is to meet with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU)and other stakeholders to find a lasting solution to the union’s lingering strike.

This is contained in a statement by Yahaya Danzaria, the clerk of the House of Representatives, on Monday in Abuja.

According to the statement, the meeting would be held on Tuesday at the National Assembly, the House of Representatives wing. It disclosed that the meeting with ASUU and other critical stakeholders was to find a lasting solution to the impasse between President Muhammadu Buhari’s regime and ASUU.

The statement explained that the parliament was concerned about the months-long strike that seemed to have defied all efforts made to find a solution.

It added that the parliament was concerned there had been no agreement between the regime and the lecturers and that the House was more worried about the negative consequences of the strike on the future and quality of education of the teeming youths.

“In the light of the foregoing, the House hereby request another opportunity to come together with stakeholders and leadership of ASUU to seek an amicable resolution,” the lawmakers stated.

They noted this without prejudice because the matter was already in the National Industrial Court.

ASUU has been on strike since February 14 over unfulfilled deals. Among the lecturers’ demands are better funding and equipment for Nigerian public universities and increased remunerations.

The Buhari regime said it would not sign any other agreement it could not implement. Education minister Adamu Adamu disclosed this in Abuja during a meeting of pro-chancellors and vice-chancellors of federal universities held at the National Universities Commission (NUC). 

Mr Adamu said Mr Buhari warned the regime’s team involved in the negotiation with ASUU against signing an agreement that it would not be able to fulfil.

Mr Adamu added that Mr Buhari’s regime could only afford a “23.5 per cent salary increase for all categories of the workforce in federal universities, except for the professorial cadre, which will enjoy a 35 per cent upward review.”

He also mentioned that N150 billion would be provided in next year’s budget for the refurbishment of federal universities, with another N50 billion for the payment of outstanding academic staff allowances.

The minister explained that the meeting of the heads of universities, convened at the instance of NUC, became “necessary and urgent due to certain misconceptions and misinformation in the public domain, regarding the ongoing strike action by ASUU.”

(NAN)