The Nigerian government, on Wednesday, claimed it is worried over the continued closure of public universities in the country as the members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) have refused to call off their strike action.
ASUU has been on strike for four months to press home its demands.
The striking lecturers’ demands include funding for the revitalisation of public universities, Earned Academic Allowances, use of the University Transparency Accountability Solution (UTAS) and promotion arrears.
Also, the non-teaching staff of universities including Non-Academic Staff of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities, SSANU, and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) have embarked on industrial actions after the failure of the government to meet the demands of the respective unions.
Briefing journalists on the outcome of the Federal Executive Council meeting presided over by President Buhari, the Minister of information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said the government had made efforts to find a lasting solution to the contentious issues.
However, he noted that the issues surrounding the long closure of the educational institutions are complicated.
Mohammed said the issues with the university unions were not as simple as many people thought.
Speaking on behalf of the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, Lai Mohammed said, “I wish that the ASUU issue is as simple as many of us think it is. I don’t think it’s that simple. But I want to assure you that a lot is going on behind the scenes.
“And I think probably the Minister of Education will be better positioned to give the details. But like any government, if we’re not concerned, we would not set up all the committees which have been working on. If we are not concerned, we will not be looking for means to even assuage the feelings of the Union.
“We’re worried, we’re concerned, and we’ll continue to work towards finding an early resolution of the problem.”
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