The Friday meeting between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities ended fruitfully, Checkout Magazine learnt.
It was gathered that the government pledged to pay N40 billion as the Earned Allowance and N30bn for the revitalization of the university system to bring the total to N70 billion.
The government also agreed to settle the arrears of salaries of the lecturers before December 4, 2020, but after due consultation with the government side.
The union leadership reached the agreement during a meeting with the government team led by the Labour and Employment Minister Chris Ngige, in Abuja.
After the meeting which lasted more than eight hours, Ngige said the parley was fruitful, adding that the government made a proposal to ASUU which it would take back to its members.
He said: “Many issues were discussed at the meeting including salary shortfall, the payment system and revitalization of the university system. I am positive that all the issues would be resolved at our next meeting.”
The union is expected to report the new offer to its organs and then communicate its decision to government with the hope of calling the strike at a later date.
Before the government introduced IPPIS to the union last year, the universities lecturers were receiving their pay through the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS).
