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Universities will resume in January, Ngige says ahead of FG-ASUU meeting
By Emmanuel Awosika
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, has said the universities will resume in January ahead of a meeting of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Federal Government.
Ngige, who made this known at an event in Anambra State on Monday, said the FG had fulfilled 98% of the demands of ASUU.
He said the remaining 2% would be sorted out during the meeting between the FG and ASUU, set to hold on Tuesday (today).
The Minister said he was optimistic that ASUU will call off its strike and universities will resume in January 2021.
He said, “We have met about 98 per cent of the request of ASUU; the remaining two per cent is what you can call promissory notes. So, I am very hopeful that by midnight of Monday, there are some works we are supposed to get on to do. They also have some work they are supposed to do on their own side with their people.
“We will be meeting in the afternoon of Tuesday to compare notes. I believe that we might have come to the end of the strike after the meeting. It is a journey of a thousand miles which you will have to take one step first. Tomorrow, all things being equal, we will agree because we were disagreeing before.
“We disagree to agree and agree to disagree formerly. But tomorrow, I hope we will agree to agree. Once we do that, schools will open in January.”
Meanwhile, Chairman of ASUU, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, told the PUNCH on Monday that the union wouldn’t announce its decision until after the meeting on Tuesday.
“I will address that matter on Wednesday. There is nothing I can say now. We are concluding our consultation by tomorrow (Tuesday). I have been telling all journalists that I won’t say anything until Wednesday. Whatever he (Ngige) says I’m not saying anything. We are reviewing the situation,” he said.
