ASUU: Nigerian Government Responds to Suspension of Strike and Pledges to Prevent Future Events

The Nigerian government has said it is taking steps to ensure social harmony in the country's public universities after professors suspended an eight-month strike.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Friday suspended its eight-month strike in line with an appeals court ruling and following an appeal by President Muhammadu Buhari, the union said .

The union added, however, that the government had not responded “satisfactorily” to its demands.

Responding to the development, Labor and Employment Minister 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 Labor Court will deal with substantive issues between ASUU and the government.

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

“We hope that now that the strike has been called off, the National Labor Court will deal with the substantive issues as contained in the letter of referral from the Honorable Minister. This is to ensure that justice is served for all parties, including ASUU and their employers – the Federal Department of Education acting on behalf of the Federal Government. »

After six months of strike action and multiple meetings without resolution, the minister referred the dispute to the labor court and asked the union to suspend the strike while the complaint is examined. The court agreed and ordered the teachers' union to suspend the strike.

Dissatisfied with the ruling, ASUU went to the Court of Appeal, the final court for Labor Court cases, where the union was asked to obey the Labor Court's decision before filing an appeal.

"Now that ASUU has decided to obey the judgment of the National Labor Court by reversing the devastating action, we apologize to all students and parents, including the Honorable Minister, for this strike unduly prolonged, which is unjustified ab initio,” Mr. Ngige said.

The Minister also expressed his 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 Labor 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, Reverend Supo Ayokunle and all members of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) whose wisdom and intervention raised a ray of hope when the strike was still in its infancy, but for ASUU's intransigence in negotiating.”

Qosim Suleiman is a journalist at Premium Times in partnership with Report for the World, which connects local newsrooms with talented emerging journalists to cover under-reported issues around the world

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