Cynthia Ezegwu
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has expressed readiness to resume negotiations with the Federal Government to end the ongoing nationwide strike, saying it has received positive signals from government officials indicating willingness to return to the discussion table.
ASUU President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, disclosed this on Monday during an interview on Channels Television, where he reaffirmed the union’s commitment to dialogue as the only lasting solution to the industrial dispute that has paralysed activities in public universities.
The union had on Sunday declared a two-week comprehensive warning strike over unresolved issues bordering on university funding, improved working conditions, and the payment of earned academic allowances, among others.
In reaction, the Federal Government maintained that it had met ASUU’s key demands, describing the strike as unjustifiable, and threatened to implement a “no work, no pay” policy for lecturers who refuse to resume duties.
The move drew criticism from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), which condemned the government’s stance, warning that such action would jeopardise fair negotiations and infringe on workers’ rights. The NLC also reaffirmed its support for ASUU’s struggle to revitalise Nigeria’s public universities.
Despite the tension, Piwuna revealed that the union had received fresh communication from key government officials seeking to reopen talks.
“Today, I received a call from Alhaji Yayale Ahmed, Chairman of the Federal Government Team, and he’s eager to resume talks with us,” Piwuna said. “I also received another call from the Minister of State for Labour, stating that she’s been directed to intervene and get this matter resolved. ASUU is willing. We are ready and available to discuss this matter once and for all.”
He added that the union expected official communication from the Implementation and Labour Monitoring Committee between Monday night and Tuesday, assuring that ASUU would honour any invitation to the negotiation table.
“Between tonight and tomorrow, I expect communication from the secretary of the IALM Committee for a meeting date, and we are ready to attend,” he said.
The ASUU president, however, emphasised that the strike was not embarked upon lightly, but as a last resort after years of unfulfilled promises.
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“Strike has never been an option that we exercise so freely. We are willing to talk about all these issues,” he said.
Reacting to the Minister of Education’s recent claim that all issues with the union had been resolved, Piwuna challenged the government to clarify why it was seeking further dialogue if no unresolved matters remained.
“Since the minister has said all problems have been solved, Nigerians should ask why the government is still reaching out to us for talks,” he stated.
Piwuna reiterated that both lecturers and students were victims of government inaction, stressing that ASUU’s ultimate goal was to restore stability and quality in the university system through genuine and result-oriented dialogue.
The strike, which began on Monday, has grounded academic activities in several universities, including Olabisi Onabanjo University, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Tai Solarin University of Education, and the University of Ibadan, among others.