The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has said it is ready to call off its nationwide industrial action immediately if the Federal Government signs the negotiated agreement.
ASUU on February 14 embarked on a strike to press home its demand, including the government’s investment in the nation’s university infrastructure, and payment of members’ salaries through the recommended University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS), among several others.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, ASUU President, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke said the union is waiting for a positive response from President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
“As far as ASUU is concerned, the strike can end tomorrow, we have finished the negotiations, let the government call us this night that we should come tomorrow and sign the agreement, we will be there,” Osodeke said.
“Let government tell us they have finished testing the UTAS, we have accepted it. By tomorrow, we will call off the strike. We are finished (with negotiations).
“We are just waiting, and challenging the government. When will they sign the agreement, and when will they accept UTAS? Those are the two questions we need to ask the Nigerian government.”
The ASUU leader also accused the Federal Government of not taking the aggrieved lecturers serious, the reason he explained was responsible for the prolonged industrial action.
He also said that the government has failed to pay the striking lecturers their salaries for the past five months, noting that the tool used as a blackmail to punish the university workers will not work.
On Monday, the ASUU strike action entered its 140th day with the union and Federal Government failing to reach an agreement for the overall good of the Nigerian students.
ASUU has been at loggerheads with the federal government, citing the refusal of the latter to honour the 2009 agreement it entered with the Union.