By Victor Ahiuma-Young

ABUJA—OVER 60 Research Institutes, colleges and agriculture and allied institutions across the country, yesterday in Abuja,  gave a 7-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to conclude stalled negotiations over wage increase and payment of outstanding  monetisation arrears, among others, or the entire research institutes nationwide would  be shut down.

At the end of its meeting, leaders of the workers under the umbrella of Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Related Institutions, NASU, expressed disappointment over the refusal of the Federal Government negotiation team to continue and conclude negotiation with the unions in the sector.

The unions lamented that the council viewed with dismay, the non-payment of the balance of monetization arrears by the Federal Government, despite the quick intervention of the labour minister on the dispute.

According to them, “the council felt disturbed and  disappointed at the Federal Government negotiation team  refusal to continue and conclude negotiation with the unions and observed that as a result of this position, its members have remained restive to the extent that they are agitating for a total showdown with the Federal Government on the grounds that the sector has been totally neglected.