Strike: Education Minister Adamu apologizes to ASUU, says FG now ready for talks
The Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, has apologized to striking lecturers for failing to respond to their demands on time.
The minister made the appeal at a reconciliatory meeting in Abuja organized by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige.
In a statement presented by his Permanent Secretary, Adamu said: “We want to let you know that whatever sins the Ministry had committed before should be forgiven. We have repented and we will not sin anymore. We want you to see us as partners in progress.
“It is in that spirit of forgiveness of the just ended Ramadan fast that we feel that we fixed the meeting to discuss and resolve the issues.”
Mallam Adamu suggested a new round of negotiations to be reopened, hopefully next week.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government and the ASUU will resume talks next week with a view to ending the prolonged closure of Nigerian public universities.
The hint was dropped Friday by Dr, Ngige, while making the opening remarks at a meeting between the government side and the striking National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) in his office.
Ngige noted that multiple industrial disputes in the education sector could have been averted if the unions in the sector took advantage of his open door policy like those in the health sector, which he said culminated in the peace currently enjoyed in that sector.
