Threats by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to shut down the Nigerian economy for two days over the on-going, 5-month-old strike by one of its affiliates – the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) – may have roused President Muhammadu Buhari from his alleged nonchalant disposition to the closure of the public university system since 14 February, 2022 as the President has reportedly directed his Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, to resolve the matter in two weeks and report back to him.
The President’s order also extends to the other three university-based unions – Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), the Non-Academic Staff Union of Allied and Educational Institutions, (NASU) and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) – which are also on strike, according to a report by Vanguard.
President Buhari reportedly issued the directive on Tuesday 19 July, 2022 after he received briefings from the relevant government ministries, departments and agencies involved in resolving the face-off with the university unions.
The President reportedly called the meeting so that he could be briefed directly by the government agencies involved in the impasse with ASUU.
Sources at the meeting also said the President directed that the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Mr. Boss Mustapha, should be part of the team to interface with the striking unions.
At the meeting were, Adamu, Ngige, the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, Head of Service of the Federation, Folashade Yemi-Esan, Chairman, National Salaries Income and Wages Commission, Ekpo Nta and Director-General Budget Office, Ben Akabueze.
Recall that the NLC had resolved to call out its members and affiliates nationwide for a two-day protest over the ASUU strike, which would disrupt economic activities in the country as workers unions in banks and even airlines, among others, had pledged to join the action scheduled for next week 26-27 July, 2022.
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