The strike embarked upon by university lecturers may soon come to an end as the Federal Government has agreed to pay federal universities N220 billion next month.
This was agreed at a 15-hour meeting between the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU and the Federal Government team led by the Minister of Labour, Dr. Chris Ngige.
The money is meant for the revitalization of federal universities in the country and to enable the institutions to buy working tools needed for effective discharge of their responsibilities.
However, representatives of ASUU at the meeting are scheduled to present details of the agreement to the National Executive Council of the union within the next one week for ratification, and possible calling off of the strike.
The Federal Government also agreed to commence the immediate payment of the salary shortfall to the lecturers.
While speaking with reporters at the end of the meeting, Ngige said government had also commenced the payment of the earned allowances of members of the union, adding that the meeting also discussed how to set up the National Universities Pension Management Company as well as the issue of university staff schools and the Treasury Single Account.
“We also discussed the issue of university staff schools and treasury single account with a view to finding how the system could accommodate funds for research grants that need to be independent of the government. We also discussed the issue of how the Federal Government could be involved in the running of state universities.”
The minister further disclosed that the meeting also agreed to set up a seven-man committee on the implementation of the proposals.
