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The President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government has assured that the ongoing strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, will soon be over. Goodluck Opiah, the Minister of State for Education, assured that Buhari's administration is committed to ending the ASUU strike. Opiah gave the assurance in Owerri, Imo State, while addressing journalists over the weekend. "I can assure you that the government is very concerned about the situation. Even as I speak to you now a lot of thinking, a lot of discussions and meetings are going on with a view to resolving the matter as quickly as possible. "I am hopeful that the disagreement between the government and ASUU will be resolved soon so that our children can go back to school". ASUU has been on strike since February 2022 over face-off with the Federal Government due to mode of payment for university lecturers.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Monday extended its ongoing strike for another 12 weeks. This was disclosed in a statement signed by ASUU president, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke. Osodeke said this was to give the government enough time to satisfactorily resolve all the outstanding issues. The roll-over strike takes effect from 12:01 a.m. on May 8, 2021. The decision was taken after the ASUU National Executive Council meeting which started on Sunday night at the Comrade Festus Iyayi National Secretariat, University of Abuja. At the meeting, ASUU accused the Federal Government of being unserious. ASUU is demanding the release of revitalization funds for universities, renegotiation and implementation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU agreement.

The Federal Government has insisted it supports the renegotiation of the welfare package for university workers in line with current realities. The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, stated this during a meeting with members of the 2009 FG and university-based unions renegotiation committee on Monday. Ngige admitted the government was not pleased with the approach being used by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, to pursue its demands. ASUU embarked on a one-month warning strike on February 14 and extended it by another two months, over the alleged failure of the government to address their demands. But Ngige, speaking during the meeting with the Federal Government Renegotiation Committee in his office, pleaded with the committee to ensure that it concludes its assignment within six weeks as provided in the Memorandum of Action, MoA, with the unions. The Minister also advised the leadership of ASUU to find a better way of pressurizing the Federal Ministry of Ed...