The minister of education, Adamu Adamu, on Tuesday said he had been in a dark period of personal anguish and internal turmoil following the lingering strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities.

He spoke during the meeting with vice-chancellors and pro-chancellors of federal universities at the National Universities Commission in Abuja on Tuesday.

“This has not proved possible, or, at least, not as easy, quick and straightforward, as I used to think.

“For me, this is a position I would have wanted us to reach after an amicable resolution of all the issues contained in the 2009 Agreements. It appears that we are running ahead of the negotiations but not for the right reasons. The President of ASUU has been reported to have said the Union would no longer negotiate with the current Federal Government.

“We must, together, continue to work to restore our public universities to where they were in the 60s and 70s. As the most important officers in our university system, Pro-Chancellors, and Vice-Chancellors, must demonstrate more commitment to ending the ongoing strike.

The government will continue to reasonably enhance the working conditions of all university staff, academic and non-teaching.

ASUU embarked on a strike on Monday, February 14, 2022, following what the union tagged as the failure of the government to meet lingering demands. (Punch)

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