ASUU strike: Ngige begs varsity teacher to have mercy on students

Chris Ngige, labour and employment minister has pleaded with striking varsity teachers to have compassion on students by calling off their strike

- Ngige who made this known in Awka, Anambra state, vowed that the federal government would pay a minimum wage to the workers - He said the problems of ASUU were not caused by President Buhari, but

were bequeathed to the present administration by the previous governments Chris Ngige, labour and employment minister has appealed to lecturers under the umbrella of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to resolve the ongoing industrial action embarked by the union. The Nation reports that Ngige vowed that the federal government would pay a minimum wage, adding that things were being worked out by the committee saddled with that responsibility. The minister made this known in Awka, Anambra state, in a chat with reporters at the premises of a local radio station, belonging to the state.

He said the problems of ASUU were not caused by President Muhammadu Buhari, but were bequeathed to the present administration by the previous governments based on agreements reached in 2009. According to him, “FG will comfortably pay minimum wage, we want to pay it, but there must be balancing because figures were bandied and we are asking Labour to exercise patience. 

“I appeal to ASUU and Labour to have mercy on students and be patient. As far as I’m concerned, we have treated Labour well. And they should also know I’m a comrade and that is why I always intervened on matters that concern them.” Ngige, who narrated how he became Anambra governor in 2003, said some of the things being faced in governance today were same problems that he confronted, yet, he paid salaries and piled pensions without borrowing. 

The minister said he was made governor under compulsion, and such made him to stand his ground when the hurricane invaded Anambra state then, adding that the rest was now history. Ngige said: “What Buhari is doing now is what I did in office as governor in Anambra, which was mainly my offence that brought the problems. So, Buhari is not the architect of salary issue in Nigeria.” Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported the federal government said it would continue negotiation process with the Academic Staff Union of Universities to resolve ongoing industrial action embarked by the striking lecturers. Senator Chris Ngige, Minister of Labour and Employment said this in a statement signed on Saturday in Abuja by Samuel Olowookere, Director of Press, in the ministry. 

According to the statement, the meeting is in furtherance to efforts at resolving the on-going industrial action embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). Parents advice government over ASUU strike 

Source: Legit.ng