The supervising minister of education, Nyesom Wike, has condemned the new set of conditions given by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, as a yardstick to call off its over five month old strike.

The minister stated that the union was demanding for its arrears of four month salaries to be paid including the implementation of the N1.2 trillion pledged by the federal government for the rehabilitation of public universities in Nigeria.

Wike said the union presented these new conditions to the federal government after its National Executive Committee meeting held in Kano state, North-western Nigeria.

He added that the federal government and the members of the National Assembly would engage the union further in finding a lasting solution to the issue.

Meanwhile, the committee of pro-chancellors of federal universities had on Tuesday called for the immediate re-opening of all universities currently shutdown across the nation.

This directive was handed down to the protesting lecturers in a communiqué signed by the committee’s chairman, Kimse Okoko.

The communique explained that the committee’s decision was based on the negative impact the strike has had on the university system, students and the parents and appealed for the understanding from the leadership and members of ASUU to ensure speedy restoration of academic activities on campuses.

It also expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the referendum conducted in all the branches of ASUU nationwide, which voted 60-40 in favour of the suspension of the ongoing strike.

The federal government had in October announced the suspension of salaries for members of the union, insisting that it will operate on the basis of “No Pork, No Pay”.