The Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities have begun fresh renegotiation of the 2009 agreement.
The six-hour meeting between the Federal Government team and the ASUU leaders was held at the National Universities Commission headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday.
The Chairman of the Federal Government team and Pro-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Dr Wale Babalakin, said the renegotiation with ASUU was to make extensive contributions for the benefit of the university system.
He noted that the “discussions were healthy and on topical issues.”
ASUU had embarked on a three-month strike from November 2018 to February 2019.
Babalakin said the renegotiation would happen within the “fastest possible time” as work had commenced on the issues brought forward by ASUU.
He said, “We have resumed negotiation. The government team and ASUU were appropriately represented and we had very positive discussions and we actually hope that we are on a good path to finalising the negotiation.
“There were healthy discussions on topical issues and both sides made extensive contributions to the benefit of the university system. On the negotiation, you have to seek the consent of the other party before you make any disclosure. But at the stage of signing an agreement, we will be willing to tell you all the headlines and all the important issues.
“Both sides are determined to put an end to this. So, I reckon that it will happen within the fastest possible time. ASUU submitted its timetable to us and there are more than 20 issues on that table. They will all be discussed.”
The Federal Government team chairman noted that the negotiations would also include the 2019 Memorandum of Action signed between the ASUU and the government.
The representatives of ASUU declined comment after the meeting.