The federal government says it is not ignoring the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) amid threats of a fresh strike by the union.
Last month, Emmanuel Osodeke, ASUU president, alleged that the federal government had stopped engaging with the union over an agreement both parties reached in May.
Osodeke had also claimed that the government no longer respond to calls from the union again.
The development had come after the union issued an ultimatum to the government to address its demands.
Speaking with PUNCH on Tuesday, the ASUU president said the union has not received any response from the government even after the expiration of its earlier ultimatum.
“Nothing yet, not a single response from the government. For now, we are in Abuja we are meeting soon. No single response from the government,” he said.
“We are meeting this weekend in Abuja. We want to see what we can do between now and Friday to see them. Despite the letter, we wrote to them and the press conferences, they are not bothered because nothing is at stake for them.”
But reacting, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, minister of state for education, said the federal government is not “shunning” ASUU’s leadership as claimed.
Nwajiuba also said that the National Universities Commission (NUC) is working on some of the demands made by the union, adding that the government would provide an update in due course.
“No one is shunning ASUU. Ask them who they reached out to. I picked your call, didn’t I? We have already said the NUC is working on the issues with the universities, once they are done, they will issue a statement,” he said.
“There is no way ASUU will reach out and nobody will attend to them.
“The message is simple. The NUC is working on the issues raised, the moment they are done, a statement will be issued to let everybody be aware of the situation on the ground.”
ASUU had last year embarked on a nearly 10-month strike — which it later suspended — over the non-implementation of its demands by the federal government.
Copyright 2024 TheCable. All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from TheCable.
Follow us on twitter @Thecablestyle