Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has taken over the leadership of the Federal Government’s negotiation team with the striking Academic Staff Union of Universities.
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, disclosed this on Wednesday while briefing State House reporters on the outcome of the Federal Executive Council meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.
"The government thanked the parents and even the students who are supposed to take their exams and promotional exams now but have been forced by circumstances beyond their control to stay at home. I have one of my child at home as we speak.
"Government is leaving no stone unturned to make sure that we reach a conclusive agreement with ASUU so that they can go back to the class room. This is the first national strike that this government is facing and we want to discuss.
"At council today, the Vice President has taken over some of the aspects of the negotiations and discussions.
"So, we are continuing the meeting in his office and when we finish meeting, we will get back to ASUU for another round of meeting and we are hopeful that we will be able to go to an appreciable extent to solve some of the outstanding issues that is preventing them from going back to work."
The minister said the private sector was delaying the announcement of the chairman of new minimum wage review committee.
Ngige stated: "The national minimum wage committee, the government side is ready. We have on the government side four ministers – ministers of labour and employment, finance, budget and planning, I can’t remember the last one now but we have our team ready.
"We also have the Head of Service of the Federation, Acting Secretary to the Government of the Federation on the government team. The chairman will be unveiled when we have full component of the committee.
"The aspect that is delaying from inaugurating the committee is the organized private sector. The organized private sector has eight represent ratites of which Nigeria Employers Committee Assembly has four nominations, we have not gotten their nominations.
"Manufacturers Association of Nigeria two nominations, their nominations just came in yesterday. Nigeria Association of Small Medium Enterprise one, they have not sent in their nomination. NACCIMA have not sent in their nominations. So we are waiting fir these nominations, when they come in the government will nominate the chairman and inaugurate the committee."
