ASUU Chair Says Nasarawa Varsity to suspend strike, commends Gov. Sule for approving N200m Academic Allowance.
Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Nasarawa State University, Keffi (NSUK) Chapter says that it would call for its congress meeting in order to discuss on what the state government has offered to them toward calling off the ongoing 7 months strike by the union.
Dr Sam Emmanuel Allu, the ASUU Chairman stated this during tripartite meeting with the State House of Assembly Committee on Education, University Management and Ministry of Education today Monday in Lafia.
He said that the executive members of the union don’t have the power to call off the strike, saying that the power of suspending its strike lies in the hands of the congress.
” We will communicate what we have discussed here to our members.
” I am just a messenger, I will present what government has exactly offered to us as we don’t have the power to call off the strike.
” We will call for our congress meeting to discuss with our members and reach a resolution on the possibility of us suspending the strike as soon as possible ” he said.
Allu has lauded Gov. Abdullahi Sule for approving N200m out of N1billion arrears of Earned Academic Allowance.
” If what they told us is true that His Excellency has approved N200million for Earned Academic Allowance, kudos to the Governor.
” And we urge the management of the university to ensure judicious use of the funds,” he emphasized.
The chairman urged the students to continue to remain peaceful, be law abiding, and respect constituted authorities as the strike will be over stressing the need for them not to relent in their academic activities.
Also speaking, Prof.Suleiman Bala Mohamed, the Vice Chancellor of the University and Hajiya Fati Sabo, the Commissioner for Education said that the meeting was to discuss on how to end the ongoing 7 months ASUU strike at the State University.
They said that the government has taken over full payment of staff salaries at the university.
The duo also said that government was committed towards ending the strike as soon as possible.
Earlier, Hon Daniel Ogazi, the Chairman, House Committee on Education has appreciated the ASUU, management of the university and ministry of education for agreeing to attend the meeting toward ending the strike at the university.
Ogazi said that the state government has made a commitment to ASUU toward bringing an end to the strike.
” We have all agreed and ASUU has agreed that they will go back and call their congress to discuss among themselves in order to suspend the strike .
” I can assure you that we are coming to the end of the strike and very soon, our university will open for academic activities,” he said.
The chairman has assured of the House continued readiness to ensure that the strike is call off in the interest of the poor children and for the overall development of the education sector.
He added that the major issues such as salary and earned academic allowance that led to the strike has been attended to by the State Government with more commitments to that effects.
