By our Reporter
Following an extension of strike by Academic Staff Union of Universities,(ASUU) for 12 weeks, Government is ready to meet with striking lecturers.
President Muhammadu Buhari had giving a directive that the chief of staff to the President, Ibrahim Gambari, will on Thursday chair a tripartite meeting to address the lingering labour crisis in the Nigerian university system.
Buhari had on February 1 directed Mr Gambari and the ministers of education, and labour and employment, Adamu Adamu and Chris Ngige respectively, to make up a team to address the concerns of the striking aggrieved workers’ unions.
But in its statement on Monday, ASUU said since the President’s directive was issued, no meeting had been held by the concerned officials to resolve the conflicts.
ASUU has said failure of the government to show concern about its demands forced it to extend the three-month-old strike by another three months.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have also threatened to join the striking university workers in solidarity. The two leading labour unions in the country urged the government to either act or face consequences.
But in what could be described as an abrupt decision, the ministry of labour and employment has written to invite stakeholders to the meeting which is described as “Tripartite -Plus.”
According to the invitation letter addressed to one of the concerned unions and signed on behalf of Mr Ngige by his special adviser in charge of technical matters, C.C Dike, urged the invitees to honour the invitation.
The letter read in part; “I refer to the ongoing strikes by ASUU and other registered trade unions in the various Nigerian universities and to inform you that the Chief of Staff to the President shall be chairing a Tripartite – Plus” meeting encompassing the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and other registered trade unions in the Nigerian universities as well as identified interest groups and civil societies. The Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) would be a party in the meeting.
“In view of the above, I am directed to invite you to the meeting scheduled for Thursday. May 12, 2022, at the Banquet Hall, State House, Abuja by 4 pm”