FG will look into ASUU’s grievances, strike threat – Ngige

Minister of labour and employment, Chris Ngige has assured the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU that the Federal Government will look into their grievances and avert any need for the strike.

ASUU had threatened to go on an indefinite strike multiple times in the past, citing the Federal Government’s inability to honor some of the agreements it had signed with it.

Speaking in an interview with PUNCH, Ngige stated that the President has mandated his Chief of staff, Minister of Education and Minister of Labour to look into the matter.

He said; “The truth is that ASUU’s grievances are with the NUC, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy. The issues are the deployment of their UTAS and the White Paper report on the universities.

“You know that we at the Ministry of Labour are not their employer; the Education ministry is their employer. Our job here is to act as reconciliatory officers.

“The President has mandated his Chief of Staff and the Minister of Education as well as the Ministry of Labour to step in, but my job is to step in as the reconciliatory officer if both sides refuse to settle their grievances. We will surely look into the matter.”