The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the federal government have signed an agreement to end the strike that has lasted for nearly six months.
The agreement was signed in Abuja, and Minister of Education Nyesom Wike told All Africa that the result was reached after the government and ASUU had a final negotiation.
“Today, I am very pleased to announce that all contending issues between ASUU and the Federal Government have been resolved to the satisfaction of the parties,” he said.
“Let me emphasize that we recognize and appreciate ASUU’s patriotic role and determination to ensure that our universities are well funded, resources provided and run like their counterparts in other parts of the world,” he added. ”We are all partners in progress and there is no victor, no vanquish in a struggle of this nature and our goal remains noble and targeted at moving our nation forward.
The strike was carried out in July after the ASUU said the government failed to implement a 2009 agreement that would improve teachers’ welfare and upgrade facilities.
ASUU president Nasir Fagge said that “our members are intellectuals and it’s simply because over the years particularly since the signing of the 2009 Agreement, we have been pursing government to get that agreement implemented we only succeeded in getting implemented a portion of that agreement and here we are over four years, but I think it’s never too late,” according to the Osun Defender.
Fagge said the union will now try to determine the quickest way to end the strike.
“If we ever think that not placing high premium on our university education out of the doldrums, I want to assure all of us that we will be deceiving ourselves because other countries that are ahead have made sure that their universities are making cutting edge research” he said.
Friends Read Free