Ngige vows: I won’t give ASUU opportunity to go on strike again

Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, on Wednesday, said he won’t give the Academic Staff Union of University any excuse to go on strike again.

Ngige, whose ministry is the negotiator between the varsity lecturers and the Federal Ministry of Education, said he would ensure the government keeps its part of the bargain.

The PUNCH had earlier reported that ASUU National President, Biodun Ogunyemi, on Wednesday morning in Abuja, “conditionally” suspended the nine-month-long strike by the lecturers after a lot of foot-dragging by both parties.

Ogunyemi said the suspension of the strike takes effect from Thursday, December 24th, 2020, warning that the union would resume the industrial action without notice if the government fails in meeting its part of the agreement.

But speaking on Wednesday night, the minister said he would ensure the government does its own bit.

Ngige spoke on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme monitored by The PUNCH.

He said the government would pay ASUU the agreed N40bn Earned Allowance before December 31, 2020.

The minister said, “We will not get to that (fresh strike), we will not get there because we have so structured the agreement in such a way that it is a win-win situation for everybody. Punch