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There won ’t be any excuse for the Academic Staff Union of University to go on strike action again,Minister of Labour and Employment , Chris Ngige assured on Wednesday .
Ngige , whose ministry is the negotiator between the varsity lecturers and the Federal Ministry of Education , added that he would ensure the government keeps its part of the bargain .
It was earlier reported that ASUU National President , Biodun Ogunyemi , on Wednesday morning in Abuja , “conditionally” suspended the nine – month- long strike by the lecturers after a lot of foot -dragging by both parties.
Ogunyemi disclosed suspension of the strike to take effect from Thursday , December 24 th, 2020, warning that the union would resume the industrial action without notice if the government fails in meeting its part of the agreement .
But speaking on Wednesday night, the minister said he would ensure the government does its own bit .
Ngige spoke on Channels Television ’s Politics Today programme monitored by The PUNCH .
He said the government would pay ASUU the agreed N 40 bn Earned Allowance before December 31 , 2020.
In the minister’s words , “We will not get to that ( fresh strike ) , we will not get there because we have so structured the agreement in such a way that it is a win- win situation for everybody .
“For example , the Revitalisation ( Fund) , we have given government up to 31 st of January to pay that . We have also opened the window that by end of February , we will sit down and review the situation , eight weeks or nine weeks from now, so nobody will keep anybody in suspense .
“I will not give ASUU the opportunity to go on strike ( again ) because I have three biological children that suffered from this imbroglio that we found ourselves in. So , I am a committed parent , I am involved , even more than some ASUU members because some of them have their children in private schools .
“ I will not give them the opportunity because I will make sure the government does its own bit . I have structured the agreement in such a way that it is doable .”
Speaking on the threat by the ASUU president that the union could return to strike without informing the government , Ngige said , “They also know that we have labour laws and if the worst comes to the worst, they will give time , they will give notice .”
Fatimah Oyesanmi
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