Following the resolution of members and the National Executive Council (NEC) of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASSU) to accept the Federal Government’s position on the union’s strike, its President, Prof. Ukachukwu Awuzie, yesterday announced the end of the strike from today.Addressing reporters at the Labour House, Abuja, Awuzie said the Federal Government had accepted to address the union’s demands.
He said: “The government reaffirmed its commitment to the revitalisation of Nigerian universities through budgetary and non-budgetary sources of funds. The Federal Government will immediately stimulate the process with N400billion in the next three years. These interventions will be based on identified prioritised needs.”
The union leader said the Federal Government accepted that state universities should continue to enjoy special and other statutory interventions.
According to him, the Federal Government agreed that it will improve significantly the budgetary allocation to education from 2013 to 2020.
ASUU had, on December 4, last year, declared a total and indefinite strike to prevail on the government to sincerely and judiciously implement its 2009 agreement with the union.
But Awuzie said besides the Federal Government’s promise to revitalise the universities, the union considered the future of the students to suspend the strike.
The union leader noted that the Federal Government is known for reneging on promises, saying it wanted to be optimistic that government has changed.
He said the union was giving the government the benefit of doubt on its promise to get it right this time.
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