The Nigerian Senate has stepped into the ongoing dispute between the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Federal Government following the union’s two-week warning strike.
The intervention came after a meeting between the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund, led by Senator Muntari Dandutse, and ASUU representatives at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja on Friday.
Senator Dandutse said the committee was committed to resolving the crisis and ensuring that Nigerian universities continue to operate without disruptions. He explained that the Senate was not in support of prolonged strikes and would work towards a lasting solution to the issues raised by the lecturers.
After a closed-door session, the committee resolved to reach out to the Ministry of Education and the National Universities Commission to begin immediate negotiations aimed at ending the strike. It also plans to meet with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory over the land dispute involving the University of Abuja.
ASUU President, Professor Christopher Piwuna, confirmed that the union had commenced the two-week warning strike, noting that the key issues included the need for sustainable funding for public universities, improved working conditions, and the protection of university autonomy.
He also appealed to the Senate to intervene in the ongoing dispute over land belonging to the University of Abuja, which the union alleged had been revoked by the FCT Minister.In a separate interview, Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau assured that the Senate was determined to find a peaceful and prompt resolution to the crisis.
He added that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remained focused on addressing challenges within the education sector to prevent further disruptions to academic activities across universities in the country.