Osun
Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, has come hard on members of Academic Staff Union Of Universities (ASUU) , describing as untrue, comments that government officials have been foot-draggers in the ongoing negotiations with the university lecturers because their children school abroad.
The minister, who spoke on an Arise TV interview said: “I have three biological children in public schools. They are in public schools; they are not in private universities. Unlike ASUU members who have most of their children in private universities, three of mine are here. So, I am a very big stakeholder in the public tertiary school system.”
“So, when ASUU says politicians don’t care because they have taken their children abroad, Chris Ngige cares because my children are not abroad even though they have dual nationality – two of them have American citizenship; they can be in America but I choose them to be here with me.
“So, ASUU cannot accuse me of not being nationalistic enough. Anything that will help the university system here, I am in the forefront.”
Speaking further, Ngige expressed optimism that the lecturers will accept the new offer by the government. He urged ASUU to hasten consultations with its members so as to return to the negotiation table and conclude talks before Friday.
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