Reps leadership reach agreement with ASUU over strike, to brief Buhari

By our reporter| The leadership of the house of representatives on Tuesday said it has reached a tentative agreement with striking University teachers to end the seven-month-old industrial action. it will meet with President Muhammadu Buhari over the strike of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

The speaker of the house of representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, who made the disclosure after about five hours of closed-door meeting with the leadership of ASUU and Goodluck Opiah, minister of state for education, at the national assembly, said the lawmakers will meet with President Muhammadu Buhari when he returns from New York, United States, where he is attending the 77th session of the United Nations general assembly (UNGA).

Speaking to reporters shortly after the meeting on Tuesday, Gbajabiamila confirmed that some resolutions have been reached with ASUU.

“There are seven areas that ASUU has presented… what we consider to be requisition to go back to class,” he said.

“We have looked at these seven areas and we have more or less agreed on certain things.

“Pursuant to finalising the meeting of our minds, we have asked that NITDA, accountant-general, auditor-general, and the National Salaries Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) will be invited.

“Unfortunately, it’s too late to invite them tomorrow because the letters will only go out tomorrow. They will be invited to meet with the leadership on Thursday so that we can dot the ‘i’ and ‘t’.

“We will meet with Mr. President and lay before him the agreement made by this arm of government…the legislature and leadership of this house. We are hopeful and believe that Mr. President will buy into the agreement and with that, I believe that this matter will be speedily brought to a close.

“In the meantime, between now and when Mr. President comes, ASUU itself will go back to its members with the resolutions that we have come up with today.”

Also speaking, ASUU president, Emmanuel Osodeke said the resolutions reached with the lawmakers will be discussed with members of the union.

“In the very near future, the issue (strike) will be resolved,” he said.

ASUU embarked on strike in February to protest poor funding of universities, personal emoluments, among other issues.