Latest update on ASSU strike Feb 24th 2022

Nigeria’s minister of labour and employment, Chris Ngige, has declared the ongoing strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) as illegal, saying by law, the union was supposed to issue the government at least a 14-day notice.

The minister’s new position might not be unconnected with the government’s failure to persuade the striking workers to end the industrial action at a reconciliatory meeting which was held at Mr Ngige’s conference room on Tuesday.

But the union has said there is nothing illegal about its action, noting it did not embark on any new strike but only resumed an action it suspended in 2020.

The president of ASUU, Emmanuel Osodeke, told PREMIUM TIMES on the phone that the nine-month prolonged strike that was suspended in 2020 was only suspended “conditionally.”

“And the condition was that the government would implement the agreements we both signed, but that if they did not, we would resume the action without informing anybody,” Mr Osodeke said.

Minister’s claims

In a statement issued on Wednesday morning and signed by the deputy director of press at the labour and employment ministry, Charles Akpan, the minister also insisted that ASUU’s demands are already being met by the government.

He added that the letter informing him of the industrial action was received days after the strike had commenced.

The minister said, “I saw their letter in my office on February 18, which is last Friday and as you know, they started their action on Monday, February 14. So, it is a clear breach of labour laws. There are violations.

“If you must notify us of intending strike action, you give us a minimum of 14 days’ notice. I pointed out to them that we are a country guided by laws. Nobody is above the law. They should obey it.”