Minister of Education Adamu Adamu on Wednesday said negotiation was ongoing between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) when the union declared the one-month strike.
He said it is not the federalgovernment’s fault if there has been no agreement after several negotiationsbetween both parties.
Adamu disclosed this in an interview with State House journalists after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
He said it was surprising that ASUU decided to embark on strike abruptly amidst ongoingnegotiations.
Adamu said, “ASUU, unfortunately, they have goneon strike and I am looking for them because all the issues are being addressed.
“The last thing that happened wasthat our committee looked at their demands but there are renegotiations going on. They submitted a draft agreement which the ministry is looking at.
“A committee is looking at it.Immediately it finishes, the government is meant to announce what it hadaccepted. Then suddenly, I heard them going on strike.”
On allegations from ASUU about hisabsence from meetings, the minister said: “ASUU will never say that. I always call themeeting myself. The meetings I didn’t attend were those that happened when Iwas in hospital in Germany.
“We want a peaceful resolution. The federal government is ready to meet them on all issues they have raised and ifthere are so many meetings and the gap is not closing, then I think it’s notthe fault of the government.
“There is a solution to this. Thenegotiations are the solution and that is why I have said that I am surprisedthat ASUU has gone on strike.”
Speaking on the time frame forreaching an agreement, Adamu said, “I can’t give you time. I am ready to reach an agreement with ASUU now but since I’m not the only one, I can’tgive you time but certainly, we are going to reach an agreement very soon.”
