The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has directed its members to resume work immediately. ASUU President, Dr. Nasir Fagge, gave the directive yesterday while declaring the union’s strike launched on July 1 suspended with effect from yesterday.

Dr. Fagge’s declaration while speaking at a news conference in Minna, the Niger State capital, confirmed News Express’ report of two days ago that ASUU had decided to end the strike which paralysed activities in public universities across the country. The ASUU National Executive Council had met at Federal University of Technology, Minna, to ratify the MoU which its leaders signed with the Federal Government last week Wednesday.

According to Fagge during yesterday’s press conference: “Although ASUU would have preferred to undertake the renegotiation of the 2009 agreement in the second quarter, our union was persuaded to shift the date to third quarter and it is our hope that government will honour these resolutions as signed and that nobody shall be victimised in any way for his/her role in the process leading to these resolutions and agreements.”

He said ASUU had “no illusion that the resolution signed with government will resolve all the important problems in the system.” Adding, however: “What we believe is that if the Federal Government faithfully implements the resolutions with ASUU, with students and parents playing their essential roles, further crises would be avoided to the benefit of our education and our country.”

•Photo shows ASUU President Fagge.