FG makes fresh offer, ASUU insists on UTAS

The House of Representatives wrapped up its stakeholder consultations on the ongoing dispute between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities on Thursday, saying it will shortly offer its recommendations to President Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.).Infomation Guide Nigeria

The government side asked ASUU to accept their accommodation under the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System at the third of a series of marathon meetings conducted in Abuja.

The National Information Technology Development Agency was challenged by the ASUU side to demonstrate that the University Transparency Accountability Solution it had advocated failed the integrity test. The ASUU side pushed for an independent and domesticated platform for university teachers.

Gbajabiamila, in his closing remarks at the end of the meeting that lasted two hours, pleaded with ASUU to accept whatever the House eventually recommends in good faith.

He said, “I believe this would be, hopefully, the last meeting we are going to have on this matter because from here, the leadership of the House will put together our reports, our recommendations, and our thoughts and take them to Mr President.

“I am hoping that whatever we have done, ASUU will accept it in good faith—this is an independent arm of the government—and that the government will accept it in good faith as well so that our children can return to school, which is what this is all about.”Jamb Result

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The PUNCH reports that earlier, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, stated that the ministers cannot sign any agreement with ASUU until the President approves it, considering the prevailing realities.

However, in order to end the union’s ongoing strike, Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom has urged the FG and ASUU to change positions.

The governor, who was represented by the Commissioner for Education, Sarwuan Tarnongo, said, “I also wish to seize this opportunity to appeal to the Academic Staff Union of Universities and the Federal Government to shift grounds on the negotiation table, resolve the lingering strike by ASUU in the interest of the students and state of education in Nigeria and re-open the universities for resumption of academic activities.”

Dr. Sam Kpenu, the institution’s public relations officer, made this claim in a statement released on Thursday and provided to our Port Harcourt correspondent.