By FUNMILAYO ADEYEMI

The Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) are currently holding a meeting to avert the strike notice issued by the union.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting which started at about 2.17 p.m. at the headquarters of the Federal Ministry of Education, Federal Secretariat, Abuja, was at the instance of the federal government.

The Minister of Education, Prof Tahir Mamman is leading the Government team while ASUU team is led by the national President of the association, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke.

Addressing newsmen before the meeting went into closed session, Mamman, said his team would share light on what the federal government had been doing since its last meeting with the union.

The minister acknowledged that a committee was set up to review the demands of the union but could not go on, as a result of the nationwide protest.

“For us in the ministry, we will continue from where we stopped at our earlier meeting and find ways to progress.

“We share with you the desire to have stability in the education system. The federal government will continue to do what is right to have good education.

“We want to ensure that our students remain in campus and the government is committed to give the university system the best it deserves,” he said.

On his part, Osodeke expressed worry over the failure of the government to resolve their lingering issues.

He recalled that the union, on Aug. 19, at the end of its NEC meeting held at the University of Ibadan, issued a 21-day strike notice to the federal government.

Osodeke also narrated the development that led to the strike notice.

“We shelved the last strike because we were promised of quick resolution to our demands.

“For 15 months, all issues raised have not been resolved. We hope that after this meeting we have a landmark of achievements to resolve our issues,” he said.

Elaborating on the union’s demands, Osodeke stated that ASUU was seeking a comprehensive overhaul of the university system, including improved infrastructure, enhanced academic freedom, and a more sustainable funding model.

He emphasised that the union’s ultimate goal was to ensure that Nigerian universities could compete with their global counterparts in terms of quality and output. (NAN)

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