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James Ojo, Abuja
Hope that the four month old strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities(ASUU), will be called off has been dashed again, as the reconciliatory meeting between the Federal Government and the lecturers ended in a stalemate yesterday.
The meeting was at the instance of the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, to reconcile the remaining grey areas in negotiations over contending issues.
ASUU had embarked on the strike since November last year following the failures of government to implement agreement reached on the funding of universities, the payment of outstanding earned allowances and sundry issues.
Before yesterday’s meeting which lasted about three hours, a five hour meeting two weeks ago could not resolve the differences in the government’s position and the demands of ASUU, although the minister said that” substantial progress was made and that with the few areas of disagreement remaining, the strike would soon be over.”
Unlike before, both ASUU and the minister declined to disclose what the meeting agreed upon and when the strike will be called off.
After much prodding, ASUU President, Professor Biodun Ogunyemi just said progress is being recorded.
“We are making progress,” he quipped and declined to say if government has agreed to their demands for the strike to be called off.
The minister did not brief the media, except that it was learnt that the meeting will reconvene on Thursday next week.
