Federal Government to Meet ASUU on Monday Amid Looming Strike Threat

The leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Federal Government are set to meet on Monday in an effort to address the demands of university lecturers and avert a potential strike.

This development follows ASUU's issuance of a 21-day strike notice to the government on Wednesday, urging the administration of President Bola Tinubu to tackle long-standing issues hampering the progress of Nigerian universities. 

The notice was announced by ASUU National President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, during a press conference at Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State.

In a bid to resolve the impending crisis, Minister of Education Prof. Tahir Mamman revealed that the government has scheduled a meeting with ASUU for Monday. Speaking on TVC's "Beyond 100 Days" program on Thursday, the minister emphasized the government’s commitment to resolving the union's grievances.

"We have already sent out notice to the leadership of ASUU for us to meet on Monday," Prof. Mamman said. "On Wednesday, we reviewed the letter submitted by ASUU and the issues raised. It is our hope that by Monday, we will meet to discuss them."

He further highlighted the deep-rooted nature of some of the unresolved issues, including the contentious 2009 agreement. “Some of these matters are historic in nature, dating back to almost 1981 when they began,” Mamman added.

The minister assured the public that ongoing conversations between government officials and ASUU leadership aim to resolve the concerns threatening the country's university system.

As the clock ticks down on ASUU's ultimatum, all eyes will be on Monday's meeting, which may determine the fate of higher education in Nigeria in the coming weeks.