By Don Silas The Federal Government, on Friday, said it would resume its negotiations with the striking Academic Staff Union of Universiti...
By Don Silas
The Federal Government, on Friday, said it would resume its negotiations
with the striking Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) next week, with a
view to stopping the prolonged closure of Nigerian public universities.
Senator Chris Ngige, the Minister of Labour and Employment,
stated this during a meeting between the striking National Association of
Academic Technologists (NAAT) and the government.
Ngige said that the several industrial disputes in the
education sector could have been prevented if the unions in the sector took
advantage of his open-door policy like the health unions, insisting that they
don’t have to cry over spilt milk.
According to him, the open door culminated in the peace
currently enjoyed in the health sector.
He, however, decried the rivalry between the two education
unions, adding that everybody was important in the university system as he gave
assurance that the government was tackling all the disputes in the education
sector holistically.
The minister said, “If you’re from any union, you don’t need
to book an appointment to see me. The doctors started using that advantage, and
JOHESU also did the same.
“That is why the Health Sector is quiet. But the education
unions don’t take advantage of my open-door policy.
“We don’t have to cry over spilt milk. Let us look at your
issues to see the ones we can handle immediately, the ones we can do in the
medium term and the ones we can do in the long term.”
He added, “That is why I want to take all of you holistically
and I ask for your cooperation. When I finish with you today, I will continue
with ASUU next week.
“I met NASU and SSANU yesterday [Thursday] and they were
happy. I want you people to be happy as we leave here.”
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