Strike: ASUU denies being invited to a meeting with FG, says Ngige lied

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Friday denied being invited to a meeting on Thursday with the federal government contrary to claims by Chris Ngige, minister of labour and employment.

Ngige, had on Wednesday at the end of the federal executive council meeting told reporters that the federal government will soon resolve issues on the strike by ASUU and that outstanding issues with the union will be resolved in the next meeting scheduled for the following day in Abuja.

But ASUU president, Emmanuel Osodeke, on Friday while appearing on Channel Television Sunrise Daily, said the union did not receive any letter of invitation from the government and called on the minister to recuse himself from the ongoing negotiation because he has worsened the situation.

“We were not invited to any meeting. None of our members were invited. We have a secretariat but we never got any invitation from them,” he said.

“The problem we have with this government, especially with the minister of labour, is that if you can tell the world that you have fixed a meeting which you didn’t, how do you expect us to believe other things you have said?

“He should confirm to the world that he sent an invitation to ASUU for a meeting on Thursday.

“The minister of labour should leave us to deal with the minister of education. He was the one that made this matter worse to this extent. He was the one that decided to use hunger as a weapon, when he said no work no pay.”

ASUU embarked on a one-month warning strike in February to protest the non-implementation of its demands by the federal government.

The union in March extended the action by eight weeks, citing the government’s failure to fully address its demands, and subsequently by another 12 weeks.