There appears to be disagreement between the presidency and the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, over the outcome of the meeting President Muhammadu Buhari held with the presidential team involved in the resolution of the lingering strike embarked upon by the four university based unions
The four university unions that have been on strike are the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, the Non-Academic Staff Union of Allied and Educational Institutions, NASU and the National Association of Academic Technologists, NAAT.
This is as the presidency has said that there is the possibility that the strike could be called off if the parties involved are sincere and approach issues more flexibly.
Sources at the meeting with the President on Tuesday had told journalists that the Buhari had given the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, two weeks to resolve the impasse and report back to him.
But another report had it that President Buhari had told the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige to hands-off from the renegotiation exercise.
While Ngige on Wednesday insisted that there was no such order from the President that he should hands-off the renegotiation, the Presidency said that the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, who is the direct employer of the striking university unions had requested that Senator Ngige should hands-off the renegotiation for him (Adamu) to take full charge of it.
While denying the report that President Buhari on Tuesday issued an ultimatum to the Minister of Education to end the agitations by the university unions, the Presidency in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President, Mallam Garba Shehu said the reports were mere conjectures by spin-doctors.
The presidency also disputed the Minister of Labour and Employment denial that he was ordered to hands off renegotiation with the striking ASUU.
The statement read: “The outcome of the meeting held by President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday with relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to end the agitations by university unions ought to be beyond spin-doctoring and conjectures.
“It is a pity that almost all media houses allowed themselves to be deceived by interested sources that are not the authorized spokesmen of government.
“Neither during nor after the meeting was any ultimatum given to the Minister of Education. During the meeting, the Minister of Education requested that the Minister of Labour hands off the negotiation to allow him lead and conclude what he had earlier on started with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
“And he promised that he could get an agreement within the shortest possible time, possibly two to three weeks.
“In carrying out this assignment, the Minister will carry along all relevant ministries and agencies with statutory functions and duties relating to the issues involved.
“The Presidency is optimistic that agreements can be reached in an even shorter period if all parties/stakeholders are not unrealistically obstinate. We appeal to the parties to work together to end the strikes.
“On the part of the administration, all doors remain open for dialogue and the resolution of the issues.
“We appeal to the media not try to spread misinformation. The orchestrated media narratives seeking to present an entirely different picture, attributed to sources, in the last 24 hours are not helpful at all.”