President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday has accepted the offer recommended by the house of representatives leadership for Academic staff union of universities, ASUU to suspend it’s nationwide strike, Speaker House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila has said
Unsatisfied by the lingering ASUU strike, Femi Gbajabiamila met with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa in Abuja on Tuesday to submit the report of the agreement reached with the striking lecturers.
During the meeting, he present some recommendations to Buhari as part of the lawmakers’ contributions to ending the industrial rift between the aggrieved varsity lecturers and the federal government.
While addressing Reporters after the meeting, the Speaker said the lawmakers are hopeful because the President had granted a good listening ear and accepted the details of the report.
He said: ”That’s why we’re here because, as you know, what’s on the front burner today, beyond the politics, is our universities, our lectures, and our children who are out of school and the House of Representatives decided to step in at that point, four weeks ago.
“We’ve had a series of meetings that lasted hours and that’s… we came to discuss with Mr. President about those recommendations. That’s why we’re here.
He further noted that the House leadership came to the Villa after a series of engagements with ASUU and, having submitted the recommendations to the President, would be awaiting his final decision.
“After a series of engagements with ASUU, the leadership came up with recommendations to the President for approval. They came to discuss with the President, the recommendations,” Gbajabiamila said.
Gbajabiamila disclosed that another meeting has been scheduled with the President for Thursday, the 6th of October.
“The president had a good listening ear; he accepted the details of the report. We have another meeting on Thursday to take a final decision after he has digested the report.”
“We are done with our meeting with ASUU. We are hopeful because we had a good engagement and he accepted the report and we clarified a few grey areas.”
DAILY GIST reported that ASUU had been on strike since February 14 to press home the demand for improved funding for universities, a review of salaries for lecturers, replacement of UTAS with IPPIS among other issues.
