Labour and Productivity Minister Emeka Wogu says the Federal Government is doing everything possible to address the ongoing strike by members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
Wogu made this known when he briefed members of the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) of the ministry’s activities in the last two years in Abuja on Tuesday.
The minister said that government was already meeting and strategising on how to meet with ASUU.
He added that the ministry would formally meet with ASUU after meeting with Federal Government negotiation team on the issues.
“They (ASUU) may have their differences, but I think they should return to the classroom in the interest of the children and the nation while we continue negotiations,’’ he said.
Wogu told members of the committee that the issues surrounding the grievances of ASUU predates the present administration and was therefore being reviewed.
“We have had series of discussions with ASUU and these are centered on the 2009 Agreement which predates this administration and which has to be renegotiated.
“And the terms of that agreement has created problems not only for this administration, but also for the former administration of President Umar Yar `Adua,’’ he said.
He said that what the ministry was doing now with regards to the disagreement would be long standing if ASUU give government the opportunity to continue with the ongoing negotiations.
“We made an offer to ASUU, but it was not acceptable, so the right thing for everybody to do, is to come back to the negotiation table.’’
He said that the National Assembly Standing Committee on Education was already looking into the issues.
The minister told members of the PDP NWC that the ministry had a new department for social security.
He said that the department, which was currently functioning, had the mandate to promote coordinated and universal approach to social security in the country.
The minister said that Nigeria was still trying to develop the concept of social security to an acceptable standard because of its evolving structure.
“We are at the stage of putting in place a social security policy that would reflect the nation`s needs
and level of economic development,’’ he said.
Earlier, PDP National Chairman Bamanga Tukur said that the primary goal of the party was to ensure improved condition for the country’s labour force.
