LAGOS, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA) – A three-member panel of Justices of the Court of Appeal, sitting in Abuja, has asked the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Federal Government of Nigeria to opt for out-of-court settlement.
The Court of Appeal admonished the counsel to meet and discuss out-of-court settlement in handling the impasse between both parties.
The court took the decision on Wednesday while hearing the appeal by ASUU over the 21 September judgement.
The National Industrial Court ordered the university lecturers to suspend their strike action almost eight months after it began.
Lead counsel to ASUU, Femi Falana (SAN) and James Igwe (SAN), lead counsel to the Federal Government were present in court.
In August, the union declared a “total and indefinite” extension of its industrial action, noting that the government has failed to meet its demands satisfactorily.
The academics seek improved welfare, revitalization of public universities and academic autonomy among other demands.
One bone of contention for academics is the non-payment of university revitalization funds, which amounts to about N1.1 trillion.
But the Federal Government has said it doesn’t have the money to pay such an amount, citing low oil prices during the Muhammadu Buhari administration.