The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, has suspended its 10-month old strike on Saturday 12 July.

The decision to suspend the strike, which began in October 2013, was reached after a National Executive Council, NEC, meeting of the union held in Abuja.

According to PREMIUM TIMES, ASUP National Publicity Secretary of ASUP, Clement Chirman, confirmed the suspension of the strike. The online medium said all striking lecturers have been directed to resume work on Tuesday.

The ASUP NEC meeting was held two days after new Education Minister, Ibrahim Shekarau, who was sworn-in by President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday appealed to the union to suspend its strike and resume work.

He appealed to the union to give him more time to study the issues raised while expressing the optimism that the disputes would soon be resolved.

The minister assured that the Federal Government would keep to its parts of agreements reached with the union, particularly, on payment of salaries.

He noted that as minister, he would ensure that “only high standards are set and maintained at all levels of the education sector.”

The ASUP NEC consists of all chapter (polytechnic) chairmen of the union and the national executives.