Strike: Why FG, ASUU can’t reach resolution — Keyamo

The Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, has said the strike action embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) is worsening the education sector’s problems rather than solving them.

ASUU had last week extended its nationwide strike which started on February 14, by another 12 weeks.

But speaking in Ilorin at a press conference to herald the yearlong activities to mark the 40-year anniversary of the Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies (MINILS), the minister said the strike had turned into a strife that had worsened the education sector.

Keyamo said, “Labour disputes are highly technical issues and need the relevant technical requirements and knowledge to interrogate.

“The issues here are two: dispute of rights and dispute of interests. Among the demands of ASUU is the issue of stagnant payment; which I also fully support. In fact, it is embarrassing for a prof to be receiving a N350,000 monthly salary; although the minimum wage should only be for the rock bottom workers. These are issues of right.

“The real conflict is between ASUU and the Ministry of Education. Issues of funding and other agitations are dispute of interests which need a different approach; not to go on strike. Even if you go on strike over a dispute of right, how long that can last is another question.

“Strike is a temporary stoppage of work, but when you go on strike for 22 months and you shut down the system; that has become strife.”

The minister, who was represented by the Director General of MINILS, Isa Aremu, said the institute had mapped out new courses on dispute and dialogue, adding that the situation could have been worse if not for the efforts of the institute.