ASUU Strike: FG to meet with university governing councils and vice chancellors

Following a deadlock reached between striking university lecturers and the federal government in Monday’s meeting, the government has resolved to meet with the governing council of universities as well as their vice chancellors to resolve the demand of the lecturers.

This was disclosed by the Benue State Governor, Gabriel Suswam, who is the chairman of the Presidential Universities’ NEEDS Assessment Committee, and head of the federal government’s negotiation team.

Mr. Suswam, who addressed State House Correspondents after briefing President Goodluck Jonathan on the outcome of the meeting held with the lecturers on Monday, said the federal government had decided to provide N30 billion out of the N92 billion needed to pay the allowances demanded by the lecturers.

At the end of Monday’s meeting, the lecturers, ASUU, had turned down the government’s offer of N30 billion to be used as part payment for their allowances. The lecturers said they stood by their demand of the government implementing the 2009 agreement it had with the university lecturers.

Mr. Suswam, however, said negotiations are still ongoing.