The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, has said the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), should be blamed for the prolonged ASUU Strike.
Ngige, made the remark while refuting claims by the University of Jos chapter of ASUU that he was responsible for the current industrial action.
The Minister maintained that ASUU has refused to reciprocate the federal government’s offer.
A statement released by his media officer insisted that the government has met ASUU’s conditions.
He said: “It is rather ASUU which has bluntly refused to reciprocate the Federal Government offers by refusing to either teach, conduct researches or engage in other academic values for which they are paid, that should be held responsible.
“Strangely, ASUU claims ‘patriotism’ as the basis for this prolonged industrial action, forcing every patriot to raise concern over this weird definition of patriotism by ASUU officials.
“Living by its words, the Federal Government has fulfilled all the demands over which ASUU went on strike on March 9, 2020.
“It is therefore preposterous for the University of Jos chapter of ASUU under Dr. Maigoro to refer to these concrete steps taken by the Federal Government as a “promissory note” with which Nigerians shouldn’t expect ASUU to call off the strike.”
It would be recalled that ASUU has been on strike for about nine months due to the federal government’s alleged inability to meet the 2009 agreement reached.
Recently. Ngige had disclosed that the government will release N75billion for the revitalization of universities and the payment of Earned Academic Allowances.
