The Nigerian government has set up a 14-man panel yesterday to resolve some of the contentious issues regarding the strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, (ASUU)

The committee, headed by the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, was mandated to look at the no-work, no-pay policy and the lecturers’ conditions of service and report to President Muhammadu Buhari in a matter of days.

The decision was reached after a closed-door meeting with pro-chancellors and vice-chancellors of federal universities.

The members include Prof Olu Obafemi, Prof Nimi Briggs, Udo Udoma, Bashir Dalhatu, Prof Kayode Adebowale (University of Ibadan), Prof Kabir Bala (Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria) and Prof Lilian Salami (University of Benin), among others.

The Education Minister said the government can only afford a 23.5 per cent salary increase for lecturers and a 35 per cent raise for professors.

He said the government will provide for 150 billion naira in the 2023 budget for the revitalization of federal universities to be disbursed in the first quarter.

The Minister added that 50billion naira, which will be provided for in the 2023 budget for the payment of outstanding earned academic allowances, will also be paid in the first quarter.

According to the Minister, the government was determined not to repeat the mistakes of signing an agreement it cannot implement.