TheCable

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) is reportedly set to hold an emergency meeting on its industrial strike on Wednesday.

An insider told TheCable that the outcome of the meeting would then be sent to the union’s national body, which is expected to have a meeting on Thursday during which a decision on the lingering strike would be made.

“They are planning to call it off very soon. All schools are planning to hold an emergency meeting tomorrow. They have called for it,” the source said.

“When they vote, they will send their decision to the national body. And by Thursday, the national body will meet, take a decision, and announce it.”

The source also added that Femi Gbajabiamila, speaker of the house of representatives, played a key role in the progress made with the federal government.

TheCable had reported how Gbajabiamila assured Nigerians that there would soon be information on the outcome of the meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari on the strike.

The house of representatives had, in September, met with government officials on resolving the issues that led to the strike.

The source added that the federal government had also agreed to pay the backlog of the union’s salary arrears.

“The house of representatives speaker played a pivotal role in every progress made recently. IPPIS will still be used for now, but ASUU will meet with the accountant-general to discuss how they can factor their allowances into the salary,” the source said.

“The accumulated and unpaid allowances are part of the issue. The federal government has also agreed to pay the backlog of their salaries.”

Another source also confirmed the development to TheCable.

The source said the appeal court ruling that ordered the union to resume work immediately is part of the reasons ASUU is planning to put an end to the strike.

On October 7, the appeal court asked ASUU to obey the order of an industrial court which directed the suspension of the strike before seeking to appeal.

“There’s an emergency meeting of ASUU FUNAAB tomorrow for updates and then referendum,” the source said.

“Remember the appeal court ruling that we must call off the strike before our appeal can be heard? That’s why the union must call off the strike on or before October 17.

“As part of the efforts to make ASUU call off the strike, the union continued their meeting with the speaker of the house of representatives yesterday.”