FG has done its best to end ASUU strike – minister tells VCs

Adamu Adamu, minister of education has said that the federal government has done the best that it can to resolve the lingering strike action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

The minister said this on Tuesday at the ongoing meeting in Abuja with pro chancellors, vice-chancellors and other stakeholders in the education sector.

“In all, we have been doing, our guide has been the directive of Mr President Muhammadu Buhari, namely, that while the unions should be persuaded to return to work, government should not repeat the past mistakes of accepting to sign an agreement it will be unable to implement. Government should not, in the guise of resolving current challenges, sow seeds for future disruptions. We have done the best that we can in the circumstance,” he said.

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“To be frank with all the Unions, especially with ASUU, one major issue over which Government and the Unions could not reach amicable agreement was the issue of the law on “No work, No pay”. In the spirit of sincerity, Government made it clear that it would not break the law,” the minister added.

Adamu stated that government has met the demands of the union according to its capacity which ASUU rejected. He reiterated that government is currently facing dwindling resources to meet all the demands of the union.

Adamu further said the lingering strike has left him in a very dark period of personal anguish and internal turmoil. He said, “I used to deceive myself that in a climate of frankness, and with mutual goodwill, it will fall to my lot to bring an end to the incessant strikes in the education sector. This has not proved possible – or, at least, not as easy, quickly and straightforward, as I used to think.”

He urged ASUU to continue its negotiations with federal government to ensure that schools reopen.