NIGERIA – The minister of education, Adamu Adamu, has said Nigerians do not have “good reasons” to be disappointed with the federal government over the lingering strike of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
The minister spoke on Wednesday in an interview on Channels Television.
Recall that ASUU has been on strike since February 14 over improved funding for universities, review of salaries for lecturers, among other issues.
Several meetings between ASUU and the federal government have ended in deadlock, as the strike has entered its 205th day.
On Tuesday, the federal government said it can only afford a 23.5 percent salary increase for lecturers of all categories, as well as a 35 percent increase for professors.
Speaking on the effort of the federal government, the minister said the federal government has made the “best” offer to ASUU in order to resolve the ongoing strike.
“The government has already made an offer. As the minister, I know that the offer the government made is probably the best it can make. You can’t do better than your best,” he said.
Asked if he knows Nigerians are disappointed, the minister said it is not the fault of the federal government that ASUU has not suspended the strike.
“If Nigerians are disappointed, I think they don’t have very good reasons to be disappointed with the government on this,” he said.
“Why should they be disappointed? Just tell me in your opinion. How is it the fault of the government and not that of the union?
“You can only blame the federal government if it refuses to do what it is supposed to do — make the offer to satisfy their demands. There is no demand that can be satisfied 100 percent by any government.”
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