TheCable

Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo is now leading the federal government negotiation with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

Chris Ngige, minister of labour and employment, who had led the government negotiation team, disclosed this to state house correspondents at the end of the federal executive council (FEC) meeting on Wednesday.

On August 13, ASUU embarked on an indefinite strike over the failure of the government to implement the agreement it reached with the union in 2009, and a memorandum of understanding both parties signed in 2013.

Some of the issues highlighted in the agreements by the union are non-payment of salaries, non-payment of earned academic allowance (EAA), removal of universities staff schools from funding by the government and non-implementation of provisions of the 2014 pension reform act with respect to retired professors and their salaries.

On Tuesday, ASUU boycotted a meeting which was scheduled to take place between the government and the union saying it would only call off its strike after receiving response to its demands.

Ngige also said the chairman of the minimum wage review committee had not been announced owing to delay by the private sector.

He said when all the names of representatives of the private sector were received, government would announce the chairman of the committee.