ASUU calls off nine-month old strike

The Academic Staff Union of University (ASUU) on Wednesday called off its nine-month old strike.

ASUU National President, Biodun Ogunyemi, made the announcement during a press briefing in Abuja.

Ogunyemi also warned that the union would return to strike without notice if the government fails in meeting its part of the agreement reached with the university lecturers.

The Union chairman, however, stated that the reopening of the schools, considering the COVID-19 pandemic, lies with the Federal Government and Senate.

The government and ASUU have been at loggerheads over the reopening of public universities in the country.

Both parties have held series of meetings but failed to reach a conclusion for ASUU to call off the strike since February 2020.

ASUU demanded that its members should be exempted from the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) pending the approval of the proposed payment system – the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS).

However, the payment of arrears remained the most contentious issue without agreement between the government and ASUU.

The union insisted on the settling of the arrears of his members’ salaries before calling off the strike.

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, on Tuesday disclosed that the government has already met 98% of the demands of the ASUU leadership.