Witness narrates how Ex-HoS, allies diverted public funds to private companies in court
FG plans to use other options if ASUU remains Adamant
By Modupe Shodeinde
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, said Federal Government will make use of labour laws and other channels if the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASSU) refuses to resolve strike action.
Ngige said this when he expressed his optimism that the strike action would be resolved next week, when the Federal Government team and the Academic union meets again.
The minister said this while speaking on Politics Today on Channels Television, Friday where he said that FG and ASUU plans to meet to resolve issues surrounding the prolonged strike action.
“Even if countries go to war, at the end of the day they come to the negotiation table. I’m inviting them (ASUU) next week. We are doing side meetings on our part and we are collating everything. I’m collating responses from the Accountant General of the Federation’s Office and everybody who has something to do with this matter.”
“I’m an optimist on this matter. By next week, we will conclude this matter. There are so many options left. We have the labour laws and I have options left to me in the labour laws. I have other channels.” he said.
Ngige explained that the Federal Government had considered usage of the University Transparency Academic Soltion (UTAS) payment platform proposed by the union. He said the National Information Technology Development Agency, charged with evaluating the platform, had just concluded the first phase and had not done the second phase to assess the functional requirement of UTAS.
Speaking on the revitalisation fund, the minister said that government will release N30bn out of the N40bn demanded by the union as the payment for November 2019 and September 2020.
He explained that payment of the remaining N10bn would be staggered.
