ℹ️ BOOM🔥🔥ASUU EXPRESSES READINESS TO RESUME NEGOTIATIONS WITH FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO END ONGOING STRIKE.
1 minutes read ⏱️ 9:54pm
By Prof Hølå Isååç ☦️
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has declared its readiness to resume negotiations with the Federal Government toward ending the ongoing nationwide strike, following fresh indications of willingness from government officials to restart dialogue.
ASUU President, Professor Chris Piwuna, made this known on Monday during an interview on Channels Television, where he reaffirmed the union’s commitment to dialogue as the only sustainable path to resolving the protracted industrial dispute affecting public universities.
The union had on Sunday announced a comprehensive two-week strike, suspending academic activities across federal and state universities, citing the government’s failure to address lingering issues that have remained unresolved for years.
In response, the Federal Government maintained that it had met ASUU’s key demands and described the strike as unjustifiable. It also warned of enforcing the “no work, no pay” policy against lecturers who fail to resume work.
However, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) condemned the threat, describing it as counterproductive and a violation of workers’ rights to fair negotiation and collective bargaining. The NLC further expressed solidarity with ASUU, urging the government to prioritise genuine engagement to address the challenges confronting the university system.
Despite the heightened tension, Professor Piwuna confirmed that the union had received renewed contact from senior government figures seeking to reopen talks.
He added that the union expects official communication from the Implementation and Labour Monitoring Committee between Monday night and Tuesday, assuring that ASUU would promptly honour any invitation to negotiations.
Professor Piwuna reiterated that embarking on a strike was never an easy decision for the union, emphasising that it was a last resort taken after all other options had been exhausted.
Reacting to comments by the Minister of Education that all outstanding issues with ASUU had been resolved, the union president challenged the government to explain why further meetings were being arranged if no issues remained pending.
Professor Piwuna stressed that both lecturers and students remain victims of government inaction, underscoring ASUU’s commitment to restoring stability and quality in Nigeria’s public universities through sincere and result-oriented engagement.
Meanwhile, several universities—including Olabisi Onabanjo University, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Tai Solarin University of Education, and the University of Ibadan—have fully complied with the strike directive, halting lectures and other academic operations on their campus.
© Prof Hølå-Isååç ☦️
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