In a swift move to stop the Acedemic Union Staff Union of Universities from embarking on a fresh strike, the Federal Ministry of Education has disclosed that it was working with different stakeholders to stop the union from the industrial action.

The move was confirmed by the Director of Press in the ministry, Folasade Biriowo, the director confirmed the move while speaking journalist in the nations capital on Sunday.

It was explained that the government has initiated different steps to stop the union from embarking on the industrial action, she noted that the team assembled by the minster has been working to ensure the strike does not commence.

In a threat issued in last week, ASUU in a press statement had given the Federal Government a 14-day ultimatum to put all the issues in contention to rest as a failure will push the members of the union to embark on an indefinite strike.

The demands of the university lecturers included the conclusion of the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU Agreement based on the Nimi Briggs Committee’s Draft Agreement of 2021, the university lecturesrs have also demanded the release of withheld salaries due to the 2022 strike action.

The union have told the government to also release the salaries that are not paid to the members who are on sabbatical with the part payment and adjunct appointments affected by the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System. The union have demanded the payment of outstanding third-party deductions such as check-off dues and cooperative contributions.

In another demand made by the union by the union in the strike warning letter, the union has asked the government for the allocation of funding for the revitalisation of public universities, which was captured in the 2023 budget of the federal government.

The letter also indicated that the union is asking the goverenmt to address the proliferation of universities by Federal and State Governments, implementation of the reports of visitation panels to universities, reversal of the illegal dissolution of Governing Councils, and the adoption of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution as a replacements by the for IPPIS.

The statement noted that ASUU has resolved to give the Nigerian Government another 14 days, in addition to the earlier 21 days, beginning from Monday, 23rd September 2024, during which all the lingering issues must have been concretely addressed to the satisfaction of the membership of the union. The statement further noted that the union should not be held responsible for any industrial disharmony that arises from the government’s failure to seize the new opportunity.