Strike: ASUU denies meeting invitation from FG, says Ngige worsened issue

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has claimed that the Federal Government did not invite the union to any meeting.

Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, had on Wednesday said the FG had scheduled a meeting with the Union, assuring that the strike would be called off.

Ngige, who spoke after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, denied the allegation that the Federal Government was planning to create a different payment table for the unions.

But speaking on Channels Television, Emmanuel Osodeke, ASUU president, said the union did not receive any letter of invitation from the minister.

Osodeke urged Ngige to remove himself from the ongoing negotiation because he had worsened the situation.

“We were not invited to any meeting. None of our members were invited. We have a secretariat but we never got an invitation from them.

“The problem we have with this government, especially with the Minister of Labour, is that if you can tell the world that you have fixed a meeting which you didn’t, how do you expect us to believe other things you have said?

“He should confirm to the world that he sent an invitation to ASUU for a meeting on Thursday,” he said.

“The Minister of Labour should leave us to deal with the Minister of Education. He was the one that made this matter worse to this extent. He was the one that decided to use hunger as a weapon, when he said no work no pay.”