Nigeria Universities Updates

The Federal Government said on Thursday that it was ready to commence the suspended negotiation with the striking universities workers, under the three major trade unions within the system – the Academic Staff Association of Universities (ASUU), Senior Staff Association of Universities (SSANU) and the Non- Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU).

The government made known its intention, even as it declared that increasing and massive unemployment as well as insecurity situation in the country were posing serious challenges to the present administration.

Speaking during the 2009 Ministerial Press Briefing of the Ministry of Labour Employment and Productivity, the Minister of Labour, Prince Adetokunbo Kayode, said the government was desirous to negotiate with ASUU, SSANU and NASU, so that they would immediately go back to classes.

Prince Kayode explained that the government was determined to do this so that the students would be able to go back to school and complete their 2008/2009 academic session on time.

The minister regretted that while the private universities have already completed the 2008/2009 academic session and started the 2009/2010 session, those in government universities have not even known when the 2008/2009 would be completed, while they have been at home for three months.

He pointed out that the issue of ASUU had become an intractable one, adding that the way and manner the Federal Government had handled it because of the command structure of the past was now hunting the government.

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