The federal government has criticized the decision of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to further extend its ongoing strike action, claiming that it had met 80 percent of the union’s demands.
ASUU earlier on Monday, further extended its over six months old strike, citing lack of commitment from the government.
The action of ASUU came after its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting which took place at its University of Abuja Secretariat.
But reacting to the development, the federal government it had addressed 80 percent of the union’s demands, noting that the extension of strike was unreasonable.
The Federal Ministry of Education, speaking through its Director of Press and Public Relations, Bem Goong, said: “If you bring some demands and almost 80% have been attended to, there is no need to drag the strike anymore.”
According to him,“It is unreasonable for the strike to be lingering since the government has worked towards fulfilling most of the demands.”
Goong, who said the federal government had deployed all measures to end the strike, explained that, “As regards the next steps, the government has already inaugurated a committee to harmonize the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System,IPPIS, University Transparency and Accountability Solution,UTAS and the University Peculiar Personnel and Payroll System,U3PS.
He explained that, “This will ensure that the government will pay with only one payment platform that will harmonize all the technical peculiarities.”
Recall that the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu Adamu, had last week, claimed that government had resolved most of the demands ASUU.
Among the demands addressed, according to Adamu,was the release of N50 billion for the payment of earned allowances for academic and non-academic and non-academic staff of universities.