ASUU President, Chris Piwuna, stated this while speaking on a national Television, insisting that the government has been slow in responding to their demands, despite ongoing negotiations.

He recalled that the union had given the government three weeks to address its grievances after a previous meeting in Sokoto, but received no communication during that period.

Piwuna stated, “We went for a meeting in Sokoto, and at that time we were about to embark on a strike action, they gave us three weeks, we accepted the three weeks, but we never heard a word from them until the three weeks elapsed — not a word from them, courtesy to even say, ‘Oh gentlemen, we think we are running short, three weeks is around the corner, we are unable to meet with you on so-and-so date.’ Nothing, until we threatened action.”

Piwuna said the government only reached out two working days before the proposed strike, appealing for it to be suspended.

Meanwhile, Piwuna insisted that the union would proceed with its planned industrial action at the expiration of its ultimatum unless the government takes urgent steps to address its demands.

Read Also: ASUU Seeks National Assembly’s Intervention To Avert Strike

The latest standoff between ASUU and the Federal Government comes despite ongoing negotiations aimed at averting another round of industrial action in the nation’s tertiary institutions.

The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, recently disclosed in Abuja that the government had entered the final phase of talks with ASUU and other unions to resolve lingering disputes over welfare, funding, and the implementation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement.

Source: Punch