ASUU Strike May Be Called Off Next Week - Suswam

Governor Gabriel Suswam

The ongoing strike by members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities in Nigeria (ASUU) may be called off next week. Governor of Benue State, Gabriel Suswam disclosed this when addressing journalists after meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja.

The governor who is the chairman of National Economic Empowerment Development Strategy (NEEDS) assessment implementation committee for universities said his committee recommended projects worth an initial N1 billion in the universities which the President will flag off between now and September.

"I want to say that we are having negotiation with ASUU. In the next one or two weeks, we should be able to arrive at something that will necessitate them calling off the strike, once we are able to agree with them on all issues that they have raised.

"So far, there are only two outstanding issues, the NEEDS assessment and the earned allowances. The NEEDS assessment which I'm handling, we have virtually concluded. I think by next week, it will be definite.

"The earned allowance, the SGF is still holding meeting (with them), I believe that in the next one week, given the seriousness of the issue, we will be able to come to some level of agreement with ASUU, which will probably lead to calling off the strike. I am not saying they are calling off the strike, we have to agree on these two remaining issues."

According to the governor, the committee will still have to meet on Tuesday next week and that a sub-committee with ASUU inclusive had been enacted to look into the NEEDS assessment records and introduce some projects that the President will inaugurate immediately within two months from now.

"Already, we have called all funding agencies and we have been holding meetings with them.

"What we are trying to do is that all the monies of agencies and individual capacities be harnessed so that it will be well coordinated. Then we know that this is how much the Federal Government is spending on our institutions on a yearly basis, as it is now. But as things are now, nobody knows apart from the budgetary money, which is passed by the National Assembly. Nobody actually captures what is being expended by TETFund, NITDA, CBN amongst others." He added.