ASUU calls off strike, schools to resume Monday

Universities are set to reopen on Monday, 17 October 2022 as Federal Government has agreed to pay the outstanding 8-month salary.

This effectively puts an end to the industrial action embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) which started in February, 2022.

A tweet shared on Tuesday by @ASUU_NG reads: “BREAKING NEWS Universities to Reopen 17th October 2022 as Federal Govt Agrees To Pay The Outstanding 8 Months’ Salaries. (1/2) #ASUUstrike #AsuuStrikeUpdate.

“Revitalization and salary areas have been cleared. Although the issue of UTAS is not finalized, for now, ASUU members have agreed to resume October 17th.”

The new development comes on the heels of the meeting with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, who called several meetings between the Union and the Federal Government.

The lead counsel for ASUU, Femi Falana, SAN, had also explained that the strike would be over in a few days.

ASUU had, on Monday, February 14, 2022, embarked on a strike over what the Union described as the failure of the government to meet its lingering demands.

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, after what he described as “failed negotiations”, dragged the striking lecturers to the National Industrial Court.

The National Industrial Court had on September 21 ordered ASUU to call off the strike.

The court granted the motion on notice filed by the Federal Government directing the lecturers to return to classrooms.

Ruling on the interlocutory injunction, the trial judge, Polycarp Hamman, restrained ASUU from continuing with the industrial action pending the determination of the suit filed against it by the Federal Government.

Displeased by the ruling, the Union headed to the Appellate Court to appeal the ruling.

It also filed a stay of execution of the ruling of the Industrial Court.

The Court of Appeal ordered the striking lecturers to “immediately” call off the eight months strike, having struck out ASUU’s application for a stay of execution of the lower court’s order.

It said it was within ASUU’s right to appeal the decision of the Industrial Court.

Agreeing with the Federal Government’s argument that ASUU could not approach the appellate court with “dirty hands”, the panel held, “should the applicant fail to obey the order (of the lower court), the leave granted shall be automatically vacated.”