Adamu Adamu, minister of education, says the one-month
industrial action embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities
(ASUU) is “surprising”.
He said it is not the federal government’s fault if there
has been no agreement after several negotiations between both parties.
The minister spoke on Wednesday while briefing state house
correspondents after the federal executive council (FEC) meeting presided over
by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo.
Adamu said ASUU’s decision to embark on strike came abruptly
amidst ongoing negotiations.
“ASUU, unfortunately,
they have gone on strike and I am looking for them because all the issues are
being addressed,” he said.
“The last thing that happened was that our committee looked
at their demands but there are renegotiations going on. They submitted a draft
agreement which the ministry is looking at.
“A committee is looking at it. Immediately it finishes, the
government is meant to announce what it had accepted. Then suddenly, I heard
them going on strike.”
On allegations from ASUU about his absence from meetings, he
said: “ASUU will never say that. I always call the meeting myself. The meetings
I didn’t attend were those that happened when I was in hospital in Germany.
“We want a peaceful resolution. The federal government is
ready to meet them on all issues they have raised and if there are so many
meetings and the gap is not closing, then I think it’s not the fault of the
government.
“There is a solution to this. The negotiations are the
solution and that is why I have said that I am surprised that ASUU has gone on
strike.”
Speaking on the time frame for reaching an agreement, the
minister added: “I can’t give you time. I am ready to reach an agreement with
ASUU now but since I’m not the only one, I can’t give you time but certainly,
we are going to reach an agreement very soon.”
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