The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, has penned a letter to the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) requesting a meeting with the union on Tuesday, September 20.
The letter titled ‘NASS/HR/LEG/03/11/065’ is signed by the Clerk of the House of Representatives, Yahaya Danzarta, and addressed to the president of ASUU.
Gbajabiamila in the letter expressed concern over the failed negotiations between the federal government and the union.
Dated September 15, 2022, the letter partly reads: “The Hon. Speaker House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila hereby invites you to a stakeholders meeting towards finding a lasting solution to the lingering strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities since February 2022.
“The House of Representatives is deeply concerned about the renewed strike which seems to have defied all efforts made to find a solution or reach an agreement between the Federal Government and the striking university lecturers.
“The House is more worried by the negative consequences of the strike on the future and quality of education of our teeming youths who have been kept at home for the past six months despite the intervention of the House and several well-meaning Nigerians over time to see that the matter was resolved.
“In the light of the foregoing, the House hereby requests for another opportunity to come together with stakeholders and leadership of ASUU to seek an amicable resolution without prejudice to the fact that the matter is already in the Industrial Court.”
ASUU was also asked in the letter to submit a written presentation of its perspective on the matter to the House before the day of the meeting.