Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) last Wednesday in Abuja signed a resolution on the five-month-old strike at a meeting of both parties.

Briefing newsmen, the Supervising Minister of Education, Chief Nyesom Wike, said the meeting was called to sign the resolution on the agreements reached at the final negotiation between the Federal Government and ASUU.

ASUU had embarked on a nation-wide strike in July over what it described as the non- implementation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU Agreement.

The minister said, “today, I am very pleased to announce that all contending issues between ASUU and the Federal Government have been resolved to the satisfaction of the parties and appreciate ASUU’s patriotic role and determination to ensure that universities are well funded, resources provided and run like their counterparts in other parts of the world.

“We are all partners in progress and there is no victor, no vanquished in a struggle of this nature and our goal remains noble and targeted at moving our nation forward”, he said stressing that “as a responsible and responsive government, we have a duty to restore normalcy to the education sector so that our children can resume classes and purse their chosen careers.

“On behalf of the President, I wish to thank all well-meaning Nigerians, the National Assembly, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), traditional rulers, students and parents, among others, for demonstrating sufficient understanding,’’ he said.

ASUU president Nasir Fagge said the resolution that was signed was a response to a letter the union wrote to the President through the Supervising Minister of Education.

“This document contains everything we listed in a letter to Mr President; we will now forward the document to our members for further directives,’’ he said.

Fagge, who said that a National Executive Council meeting would be called within a week, noted that the signing of the resolution showed that government was committed.

He commended parents, students and Nigerians for their understanding and patience, stressing that the struggle was to ensure that government put the university system in order.

Four copies of the resolution were signed with the President of NLC, Ministry of Education, ASUU and the Presidency getting a signed copy.

The NLC President, Mr Abdulwaheed Omar; the Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission, Prof. Julius Okojie and the Vice Chancellors of some public universities were present at the meeting.