Lasun Alagbe
Labour Minister, Chris Ngige, has been speaking on the Industrial Court’s order that striking university lecturers return to classroom.
He welcomed the development and said the Federal Government would order vice chancellors to open universities.
What some observers may, however, point out is that the VCs did not actually close the institutions in the first place.
In a statement on Wednesday, Ngige said negotiation would continue with the Academic Staff Union of Universities, even as he welcomed the intervention by the House of Representatives.
He said: “If they have shown interest now, it is good and wonderful. When they bring that proposal, the Executive will not have any problem. ASUU should also know that this is a step in the right direction. And all these things have been promised to them by the Minister of Education at their last meeting with him. For me, they should do the needful and get back to the classroom.”
“The government would order the vice-chancellors to reopen the universities in compliance with the order of the court.”
