The Academic Staff Union of University on Wednesday announced the suspension of its nine-month long strike.
The strike, which started in March this year, has wiped off an entire academic year for public universities in the country.
ASUU National President, Biodun Ogunyemi, made the announcement at a press conference in Abuja.
Ogunyemi declared that the suspension of the strike would effect from Thursday, December 24th, 2020.
Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, on Tuesday, had assured Nigerians that the prolonged strike by ASUU would be called off before January 15.
Giving details on the suspension, Ogunyemi also said the lecturers sympathised with students who were also their children, explaining that “no amount of sacrifice would be too much to get the matter resolved as long as the government is consistent with its commitments.”
While warning that the union would return to strike without notice if the government fails in meeting its part of the agreement reached with the university lecturers, Ogunyemi noted that the reopening of the schools, considering the COVID-19 pandemic, lies with the Federal Government and Senate.
The Federal Government had during the November 27 meeting with the union pledged N40bn as the Earned Allowance and N30bn for the revitalisation of the university system, taking the total payment to N70bn.
The government also promised to pay the arrears of salaries to the lecturers.
ASUU, on its part, said it would present the offer to its organs and get back to the government on their decision.
