The union extended the strike for another two months on March 14 to allow the government to meet all of its demands. On May 9, a 12-week extension was announced.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities is scheduled to meet with representatives from the Nigerian government tody to discuss its ongoing strike action which is now in its sixth month.
Recall that ASUU embarked on a four-week warning strike on February 14.
The union extended the strike for another two months on March 14 to allow the government to meet all of its demands. On May 9, a 12-week extension was announced.
The union has been on strike since May 9, vowing to continue until its demands are met.
The lecturers want better working conditions, the revitalisation of public universities, and academic autonomy, among other things.
A bone of contention for the academics is also the non-payment of university revitalisation funds, which amounts to about N1.1trillion.
But the government has said it doesn’t have the money to pay such an amount, citing low oil prices under the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
Speaking on Politics Today, the ASUU President, Prof Emmanuel Osodeke, said the Tuesday meetingwould be to discuss one of seven issues ASUU is protesting over,
“That is the issue of renegotiation,” Osodeke said, “the renegotiation of the 2009 agreement.
“It is not just about wages. It has to do with the system, funding, the structure, the autonomy and other issues; and how to fund universities.
“The government has reduced it to just salaries alone. But if they had looked at the whole agreement and implemented it, we will not be talking about funding.”
Osodeke suggested that if Tuesday’s meeting goes well, the strike action may be called off.
“We are willing to sign,” he said.