Lasun Alagbe
The Academic Staff Union of Universities is set to call of its eight-month strike.
This is the outcome of a meeting it held with the Federal Government team led by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige.
The decision followed the Federal Government’s agreement to release N70bn to universities for development and lectures’ earned allowances.
ASUU had also won the battle it waged against the Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), with the government agreeing to paying via pre-existing channels.
Although the union’s leadership has yet to announce a date, the move to resume will come as a respite for many students who have been kept at home since March when the industrial action was declared.
Parents and other stakeholders too will find it relieving, having borne the confusion and anxiety created by the strike.
Already, many of the institutions have practically lost a session as some had not even begun the session that ought to be ending by now, as of the time the strike started.
Adjusting the calendar will thus be an intriguing task for many of the varsities’ authorities.
Right now, the latest set of candidates offered admission by the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board this year have yet to resume, while the body is planning to conduct another one by February.
