The Federal Government on Thursday, November 15, began negotiations with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) at the Ministry of Labour and Employment office in Abuja over the universities lecturers’ strike since November 5. The meeting, which began at 3pm and lasted till 9pm, was adjourned till next week, as the striking teachers and government did not reach a middle ground. 
It was revealed that the closed-door meeting looked at the seven points in the Memorandum of Action signed in September 2017, and the two parties reviewed the highlights of the agreement. The meeting had in attendance, ASUU National President, Prof Biodun Ogunyemi, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Sonny Echono and the Accountant-General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris. 
The minister of labour, Ngige, during a brief session with the press before the closed-door meeting, apologised that talks with the academic union are coming a bit late because they have been having negotiations on the new minimum wage. He continued by adding that “The government appeals to ASUU to put the interest of the students first because they are at the receiving end of the consideration.” 
In a copy of the 2017 Memorandum of Action, which was reviewed by the two parties, the issues of discussion included “funding for revitalisation of universities; earned academic allowances; staff schools; pension matters; salary shortfalls, Treasury Single Account exemption; and state universities.” 
ASUU National president, Ogunyemi, said after the six-hour long meeting that, the union had put forward its demands and the meeting had been adjourned till next week. He said, “No date has been fixed for next week but we will communicate the date to you tomorrow (Friday). The union was forced to go on strike because our plea for the implementation of the 2017 Memorandum of Action fell on deaf ears.”Photo Credit: Getty
