This was contained in a statement released via the verified Twitter handle of the government on Thursday.
The Nigerian Government on Thursday debunked a piece of viral news that President Muhammadu Buhari ordered education minister, Adamu Adamu to resolve the lingering strike embarked upon by university lecturers within two weeks.
This was contained in a statement released via the verified Twitter handle of the government on Thursday.
The statement is titled, ‘On University Strikes, Government Is Ready For Business.”
The government explained that Adamu requested that the labour and employment minister, Chris Ngige should allow him to lead and conclude what he had earlier commenced with the striking lecturers.
The statement reads: "The outcome of the meeting held by President @MBuhari on Tuesday with relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to end the agitations by university unions ought to be beyond spin-doctoring and conjectures.
"It is a pity that almost all media houses allowed themselves to be deceived by interested sources that are not the authorized spokesmen of the government.
“Neither during nor after the meeting was any ultimatum given to the Minister of Education. During the meeting, Minister @NigEducation requested that the Minister @LabourMinNG hands off the negotiation to allow him lead and conclude what he had earlier on started with the ASUU.
"And he promised that he could get an agreement within the shortest possible time, possibly two to three weeks.
“In carrying out this assignment, the minister will carry along all relevant ministries and agencies with statutory functions and duties relating to the issues involved.
"@NGRPresident is optimistic that agreements can be reached in an even shorter period if all parties/stakeholders are not unrealistically obstinate. We appeal to the parties to work together to end the strikes.
"On the part of the administration, all doors remain open for dialogue and the resolution of the issues.
"We appeal to the media not try to spread misinformation. The orchestrated media narratives seeking to present an entirely different picture, attributed to sources, in the last 24 hours are not helpful at all.”
Lecturers in Nigerian federal and state universities, under the aegis of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), have been on strike since February 14, 2022, to force the government to implement agreements reached by both parties in 2009 among other demands.