The Federal Government has up to September 6 to address the demands of lecturers in the country or risk a strike action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
ASUU had on August 19 at the end of its NEC meeting held at the University of Ibadan, issued a 21-day strike notice to the Federal Government over some unmet demands.
The Federal Government and the union had a closed-door meeting on Wednesday in Abuja at the end of which a sub-committee was set up to review the demands.
The meeting was at the instance of the Minister of Education, Prof Tahir Mamman and had in attendance the leadership of ASUU led by its National President, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke.
Osodeke who spoke with journalists after the meeting expressed hope that all issues would have been resolved before the September 6 meeting.
“We have met to discuss all the issues and review them. We have given the government between now and the next meeting to see what they have to do. We believe in the interest of the Nigerian child and we will be protecting their interest if the issues are resolved amicably,” Prof. Osodeke said.
Also briefing newsmen at the end of the closed-door meeting, the Minister of Education confirmed that both parties agreed to reconvene on September 6, adding that a compromise was reached during the meeting to avert the strike notice issued by the union.
Mamman said a sub-committee had been set up to review the demands of the union and ensure that all grey areas are ironed out and resolved.
ASUU is seeking a comprehensive overhaul of the university system, including improved infrastructure, enhanced academic freedom, and a more sustainable funding model.
Other demands of the union, included the release of revitalisation funds for universities, renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU agreement, and release of earned allowances for university lecturers. Others are the deployment of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS).