The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has agreed to call of its ongoing strike which has stopped academic activities in the public universities since March.
The union reached the agreement during a meeting with the federal government team led by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, in Abuja, on Friday.
The government also promised to pay N40 billion as the Earned Allowance and N30bn for the rejuvenation of the university system bringing the total payment to N70 billion.
The federal government however pledges to settle the salary arrears of the lecturers before December 31st. This is happening one week after the Federal Government accepted the demand by the ASUU that they be exempted from the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System pending the approval of their proposed payment system, the University Transparency and Accountability Solution.
ASUU is expected to report the agreement to its organs and then communicate their decision to the government after which a date for the calling off of the strike would be announced.
Speaking to journalists after the meeting, Ngige said the parley was fruitful, adding that the government made a proposal to ASUU which it would take back to its members.
He said, “Many issues were discussed at the meeting including salary shortfall, the payment system and revitalisation of the university system. I am positive that all the issues would be resolved at our next meeting.”
