ASUU Blames Ngige For Prolonged Strike

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, has been blamed by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU due to the prolonged strike.

The union accused him of showing less concern about education in the country.

According to ASUU, the recent statement of the Minister has shown his disdain for the lecturers and has paid less attention to the demands of the union.

“He has now become the spokesperson to the Accountant General of the Federation and the Ministry of Finance, instead of finding a solution for lecturers to get back to work,” ASUU said in a press conference at the University of Abuja on Tuesday.

ASUU, in the text of the press conference read by its Abuja zonal coordinator, Theophilus Lagi, accused Ngige of setting the union on a collision course with other pressure groups in the university, and is currently on a warpath with the lecturers.

“In one of his comedies of error, Ngige told the nation that the striking lecturers had been paid salaries up to date when he knew university lecturers were being owed salaries for between Nine to Six months for no just cause. In another fit of treachery, the Minister during a recent Budget defense at the National Assembly, while upholding the existence of University Autonomy Law, attempted in vain to redefine its provisions,” the union said.

“Dr Ngige is, by now, a figure well known for a poignant penchant for speaking from both sides of his mouth.”

“This is demonstrated by his irregular postures in the ongoing negotiation between the federal government and our union which, to say the least, betray his insincerity and irresponsibility as an appointee of the federal government.”

The union also claimed that Ngige has been making comments different from what he said during meeting with the union.

ASUU added that the action of the Minister should be a major concern for students and parents.

According to ASUU, with the former Anambra State Governor in charge of the negotiations between the union and the Federal Government, there is no sign of hope in sight, adding that the Minister is undermining the reopening of public universities in the country.