‘Govt Will Fulfill Its Part Of Agreement’ — Ngige

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, has said
that he will do everything to ensure that the Academic Staff Union
of Universities (ASUU) does not go on another industrial
action.

He explained that three of his biological children have also
been victims of the system, so he is personally committed to
resolving the issues.

“I will not give ASUU the opportunity to go on strike. Because I
have three biological children that suffered from this imbroglio
that we found ourselves in and about 15 people on my scholarship in
Nigerian Universities,” the Minister said on Channels TV’s Politics
Today on Wednesday.

“My three biological children are here in Nigerian Universities.
They even went to secondary school here. Two of them are American
citizens and I had the option of leaving them to go study in
America and enjoy the free education or whatever, but I didn’t. So,
I am a committed parent. I am involved, even more than some ASUU
members because some of them have their children in private
schools.”

Ngige said this hours after the Academic Staff Union of
University (ASUU) “conditionally” suspended its strike, ending a
protracted industrial action that started in March.

National President of the association, Biodun Ogunyemi made the
announcement during a briefing of the union in Abuja on
Wednesday.

Ogunyemi explained that the development followed the agreement
reached with the Federal Government and a meeting with its National
Executive Council (NEC).

The suspension of the strike takes effect from Thursday,
December 24.

Meanwhile, the union has stressed that it will not hesitate to
commence another strike if the government does not keep to its end
of the bargain.

But Ngige has vowed to do everything possible to ensure that
does not happen.

“I will make sure the government does its own bit,” he said.

He gave an assurance that the agreement reached is so structured
“in such a way that it is a win-win situation for everybody.”

“For the revitalisation, we have given government up to the 31st
of January to pay that. We have also opened the window so that by
the end of February, we will sit down again and review all these
situations. Nobody is going to keep anybody in suspense.”

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, has said
that he will do everything to ensure that the Academic Staff Union
of Universities (ASUU) does not go on another industrial
action.

He explained that three of his biological children have also
been victims of the system, so he is personally committed to
resolving the issues.

“I will not give ASUU the opportunity to go on strike. Because I
have three biological children that suffered from this imbroglio
that we found ourselves in and about 15 people on my scholarship in
Nigerian Universities,” the Minister said on Channels TV’s Politics
Today on Wednesday.

“My three biological children are here in Nigerian Universities.
They even went to secondary school here. Two of them are American
citizens and I had the option of leaving them to go study in
America and enjoy the free education or whatever, but I didn’t. So,
I am a committed parent. I am involved, even more than some ASUU
members because some of them have their children in private
schools.”

Ngige said this hours after the Academic Staff Union of
University (ASUU) “conditionally” suspended its strike, ending a
protracted industrial action that started in March.

National President of the association, Biodun Ogunyemi made the
announcement during a briefing of the union in Abuja on
Wednesday.

Ogunyemi explained that the development followed the agreement
reached with the Federal Government and a meeting with its National
Executive Council (NEC).

The suspension of the strike takes effect from Thursday,
December 24.

Meanwhile, the union has stressed that it will not hesitate to
commence another strike if the government does not keep to its end
of the bargain.

But Ngige has vowed to do everything possible to ensure that
does not happen.

“I will make sure the government does its own bit,” he said.

He gave an assurance that the agreement reached is so structured
“in such a way that it is a win-win situation for everybody.”

“For the revitalisation, we have given government up to the 31st
of January to pay that. We have also opened the window so that by
the end of February, we will sit down again and review all these
situations. Nobody is going to keep anybody in suspense.”