President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, to resolve the prolonged industrial action embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and other university-based unions.
Following briefings from the various government Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) participating in the continuing attempts to settle the standoff with the university unions, the President issued the order yesterday.
Buhari had summoned them to get more information on why the strike had persisted for too long. The President was also reported to have instructed that the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, as well as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, (SGF), Boss Mustapha, must be in attendance in all subsequent meetings to speedily resolve the crisis.
Recall that ASUU commenced a one-month warning strike on February 14, and other unions also joined them over the alleged inability of the Federal Government to meet up with their demands.
In attendance at the meeting were the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Dr. Zainab Ahmed, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Ngige, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, the Head of Service of the Federation, Dr. Folashade Yemi-Esan, the Chairman of National Salaries Income and Wages Commission, Ekpo Nta, the Director-General Budget Office, Ben Akabueze.
President Buhari’s directive comes a week after he told the striking university lecturers that ‘enough is enough’.
