There are strong indications that the four-month-
old strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff
Union of Universities, ASUU, may be called off this
week.
This is coming on the heels of a solution-finding
meeting today between President Goodluck
Jonathan and the leadership of the union.
According to a highly placed official in the Federal
Ministry of Education, who did not want his name
mentioned, plans have been concluded to get the
striking lecturers return to classrooms.
Asked if the President would make new offers, aside
from the N30bn for enhanced allowance and the
N200bn to breach noticeable infrastructural gap in
federal universities, the source said: “No legitimate
effort will be spared,” to halt the embarrassing drift
in the education sector.
“I’m upbeat that this strike will be called off this
week. Nigerians are no longer on the side of ASUU
and I’m sure the lecturers will consider this very
seriously, side by side with the position of Mr.
President at today’s meeting,” the source said.
The lecturers had declared an indefinite strike on
July 1 to press home their demands for an enhanced
pay and infrastructure overhaul.
They drew their strength from a 2009 agreement
between the union and the Federal Government and
a memorandum of understanding, MoU, signed in
2012.
Meanwhile, ASUU yesterday warned that threat of
forceful reopening of the universities by the Federal
Government would not end the present strike.
The union in a statement by the Secretary of the
University of Ibadan chapter, Dr. Ayodeji Omole,
cautioned President Jonathan to toe the path of
honour by implementing the 2009 agreement
reached with the union.
He maintained that the planned forceful re-opening
would be the highest form of authoritarianism
which would deepen the present crisis in the
education sector.
The ASUU scribe added that the step would also
portray the government as anti-democratic.
Omole said while the union welcome the invitation
of ASUU for a meeting today, it would be
unacceptable to members of the union if
government failed to come out with a clear agenda
for implementing the 2009 agreement.
He said: “The attention of our union is drawn to
news report in some media alleging that the
President will direct the re-opening of all
universities with or without ASUU.
“We wish to state that while the President of the
Federation has issued an invitation to the leaders of
our union for dialogue, it will be unacceptable to
our members if government fails to come out with a
clear agenda for implementing the 2009 agreement.
“Authoritarian posturing has never solved and will
not solve the impasse. We are calling on Mr.
President to toe the path of honour and respect the
2009 agreement.”
The ASUU scribe insisted that any proposal not
based on a clear acceptance of a framework for
implementing the 2009 agreement but rather seek to
impose a solution on the impasse would not solve
the present crisis.
He called on President Jonathan to set good example
and be guided by the principles of honouring
agreements, justice and industrial harmony.
Omole said it was laughable that a government that
publicised releasing N100bn has not even released
a kobo.
He said ASUU is a body of intellectuals and stressed
that members of the union were ready to pursue the
revatilisation of public education to a logical
conclusion, even with the stoppage of salaries.
Chairperson, University of Port Harcourt branch,
Prof. Anthonia Okerengwo, also warned the Federal
Government to desist from aggravating the ongoing
strike.
He called on the Federal Government to discontinue
the arm-twisting tactics being employed by its
agents.
The union, in a statement, cautioned against
blackmail, stressing that arm-twisting tactics would
only deepen the crisis in the nation’s education
sector.
It also advised the government to follow the path of
honour in its quest to resolve the lingering strike.
While condemning any move to forcefully open the
universities, the chairperson said that
implementation of 2009 agreement and the 2012
MoU was the surest route to industrial harmony in
the university system and the fastest approach to
revitalising tertiary education.
The statement reads: “The Academic Staff Union of
Universities has urged the Federal Government to
follow the path of honour in its quest to resolve the
lingering strike.
“This follows allegations in the press that the
President intends to order the re-opening of
universities from Monday, November 4, 2013, with
or without ASUU.
“Arm-twisting has never worked as a dispute
resolution strategy. It is unacceptable to the union
that while the President has invited the union
leadership for a dialogue, some overzealous aides to
the President are clandestinely working to
jeopardise the peace process. “Authoritarian
approaches to resolving issues in dispute with the
unions have never worked. Such tendencies will
only deepen the crisis in education in Nigeria.
“The surest and shortest route to industrial
harmony in the university system and the fastest
approach to revitalising the university education is
the implementation of 2009 agreement and the 2012
MOU.”
The Ebonyi State University chapter of the union
commended President Jonathan for his readiness to
meet with the union leaders today. It, however,
urged him to implement the 2009 agreement to end
the over four-month-old strike.
The Chairman, Prof. Ndubuisi Idenyi, in a statement
in Abakaliki said the President’s quest to end the
strike was a welcome development.
“It is, however, our earnest hope and prayer that
the meeting of ASUU leaders with Mr. President will
be a fruitful dialogue that would lead to a
mutuallyacceptable, fair and farreaching solution
predicated on the implementation of the 2009
Agreement; the 2012 MoU; and the
recommendations of the Needs Assessment Report,”
the statement said.
Idenyi advised the President not to impose any
solution on the union, adding that the Federal
Government should take steps to improve the
nation’s educational sector.
“We are of the view that any proposal not based on
a clear acceptance of a framework for
implementing the 2009 agreement will, instead, seek
to impose a solution to the current impasse and as
such, will not be a solution to the present crisis.
“We, therefore, very respectfully call on Mr.
President to muster the will to be guided by the
principles of honouring agreements, principles of
justice and the principles of industrial harmony,
even as we wholeheartedly wish all concerned
fruitful deliberations,” he said.
In a related development, the Ahmaddiyah Muslim
Jama’at Nigeria yesterday accused the Federal
Government of being hypocritical over the lingering
strike.
Ahmadiyyah also kicked against the timing of the
consultation meeting by the Presidential Advisory
Committee on National Conference held in Lagos on
Friday.
Speaking while honouring some journalists who
were recently promoted in their organisations, the
Amir Ammadiyyah Muslim Jama’at of Nigeria, Dr.
Moshood Fashola, urged the Federal Government to
honour the agreement made with the union.
He said it is characteristic of a hypocrite not to fulfil
agreement.
The clergy said injustice, hypocrisy and some other
self-created problems were the bane of the nation’s
problems, urging both Muslim and Christians to
always speak the truth to those in authority.
He said: “It is characteristic of a hypocrite to renege
on the promise made. How can the Federal
Government refuse to fulfil the agreement it
willingly made with the Academic Staff Union of the
Universities? These are signs of hypocrites.
“What kind of government do we have? They made
agreement and could not fulfil it? It is a
characteristic of an unbeliever?
Fashola also decried the slating of the ongoing
consultation by the Presidential Advisory Committee
on National Conference held in Lagos about
1:30p.m. last Friday without consideration to
Muslims leaders who might want to observe their
Jumaat prayers.
He added that any national conference insensitive
to people’s beliefs and norms was bound to fail.
Fashola reiterated that the Boko Haram Islamic
members were not Muslims, adding that it is clearly
stated in the Holy Quran that Muslims should not
destroy God’s creatures, even when provoked.
He, however, blamed the northern leaders for the
insurgence, saying many people in the North had
been neglected for a long period which made their
youths vulnerable to violence orchestrated by
enemies of the nation.
Fashola also took a swipe at the Muslim and
Christian leaders who refused to say the truth to
those in authority for material gains.
He added that people had abandoned God for their
religious leaders who prioritised material gains
over the scriptures.
old strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff
Union of Universities, ASUU, may be called off this
week.
This is coming on the heels of a solution-finding
meeting today between President Goodluck
Jonathan and the leadership of the union.
According to a highly placed official in the Federal
Ministry of Education, who did not want his name
mentioned, plans have been concluded to get the
striking lecturers return to classrooms.
Asked if the President would make new offers, aside
from the N30bn for enhanced allowance and the
N200bn to breach noticeable infrastructural gap in
federal universities, the source said: “No legitimate
effort will be spared,” to halt the embarrassing drift
in the education sector.
“I’m upbeat that this strike will be called off this
week. Nigerians are no longer on the side of ASUU
and I’m sure the lecturers will consider this very
seriously, side by side with the position of Mr.
President at today’s meeting,” the source said.
The lecturers had declared an indefinite strike on
July 1 to press home their demands for an enhanced
pay and infrastructure overhaul.
They drew their strength from a 2009 agreement
between the union and the Federal Government and
a memorandum of understanding, MoU, signed in
2012.
Meanwhile, ASUU yesterday warned that threat of
forceful reopening of the universities by the Federal
Government would not end the present strike.
The union in a statement by the Secretary of the
University of Ibadan chapter, Dr. Ayodeji Omole,
cautioned President Jonathan to toe the path of
honour by implementing the 2009 agreement
reached with the union.
He maintained that the planned forceful re-opening
would be the highest form of authoritarianism
which would deepen the present crisis in the
education sector.
The ASUU scribe added that the step would also
portray the government as anti-democratic.
Omole said while the union welcome the invitation
of ASUU for a meeting today, it would be
unacceptable to members of the union if
government failed to come out with a clear agenda
for implementing the 2009 agreement.
He said: “The attention of our union is drawn to
news report in some media alleging that the
President will direct the re-opening of all
universities with or without ASUU.
“We wish to state that while the President of the
Federation has issued an invitation to the leaders of
our union for dialogue, it will be unacceptable to
our members if government fails to come out with a
clear agenda for implementing the 2009 agreement.
“Authoritarian posturing has never solved and will
not solve the impasse. We are calling on Mr.
President to toe the path of honour and respect the
2009 agreement.”
The ASUU scribe insisted that any proposal not
based on a clear acceptance of a framework for
implementing the 2009 agreement but rather seek to
impose a solution on the impasse would not solve
the present crisis.
He called on President Jonathan to set good example
and be guided by the principles of honouring
agreements, justice and industrial harmony.
Omole said it was laughable that a government that
publicised releasing N100bn has not even released
a kobo.
He said ASUU is a body of intellectuals and stressed
that members of the union were ready to pursue the
revatilisation of public education to a logical
conclusion, even with the stoppage of salaries.
Chairperson, University of Port Harcourt branch,
Prof. Anthonia Okerengwo, also warned the Federal
Government to desist from aggravating the ongoing
strike.
He called on the Federal Government to discontinue
the arm-twisting tactics being employed by its
agents.
The union, in a statement, cautioned against
blackmail, stressing that arm-twisting tactics would
only deepen the crisis in the nation’s education
sector.
It also advised the government to follow the path of
honour in its quest to resolve the lingering strike.
While condemning any move to forcefully open the
universities, the chairperson said that
implementation of 2009 agreement and the 2012
MoU was the surest route to industrial harmony in
the university system and the fastest approach to
revitalising tertiary education.
The statement reads: “The Academic Staff Union of
Universities has urged the Federal Government to
follow the path of honour in its quest to resolve the
lingering strike.
“This follows allegations in the press that the
President intends to order the re-opening of
universities from Monday, November 4, 2013, with
or without ASUU.
“Arm-twisting has never worked as a dispute
resolution strategy. It is unacceptable to the union
that while the President has invited the union
leadership for a dialogue, some overzealous aides to
the President are clandestinely working to
jeopardise the peace process. “Authoritarian
approaches to resolving issues in dispute with the
unions have never worked. Such tendencies will
only deepen the crisis in education in Nigeria.
“The surest and shortest route to industrial
harmony in the university system and the fastest
approach to revitalising the university education is
the implementation of 2009 agreement and the 2012
MOU.”
The Ebonyi State University chapter of the union
commended President Jonathan for his readiness to
meet with the union leaders today. It, however,
urged him to implement the 2009 agreement to end
the over four-month-old strike.
The Chairman, Prof. Ndubuisi Idenyi, in a statement
in Abakaliki said the President’s quest to end the
strike was a welcome development.
“It is, however, our earnest hope and prayer that
the meeting of ASUU leaders with Mr. President will
be a fruitful dialogue that would lead to a
mutuallyacceptable, fair and farreaching solution
predicated on the implementation of the 2009
Agreement; the 2012 MoU; and the
recommendations of the Needs Assessment Report,”
the statement said.
Idenyi advised the President not to impose any
solution on the union, adding that the Federal
Government should take steps to improve the
nation’s educational sector.
“We are of the view that any proposal not based on
a clear acceptance of a framework for
implementing the 2009 agreement will, instead, seek
to impose a solution to the current impasse and as
such, will not be a solution to the present crisis.
“We, therefore, very respectfully call on Mr.
President to muster the will to be guided by the
principles of honouring agreements, principles of
justice and the principles of industrial harmony,
even as we wholeheartedly wish all concerned
fruitful deliberations,” he said.
In a related development, the Ahmaddiyah Muslim
Jama’at Nigeria yesterday accused the Federal
Government of being hypocritical over the lingering
strike.
Ahmadiyyah also kicked against the timing of the
consultation meeting by the Presidential Advisory
Committee on National Conference held in Lagos on
Friday.
Speaking while honouring some journalists who
were recently promoted in their organisations, the
Amir Ammadiyyah Muslim Jama’at of Nigeria, Dr.
Moshood Fashola, urged the Federal Government to
honour the agreement made with the union.
He said it is characteristic of a hypocrite not to fulfil
agreement.
The clergy said injustice, hypocrisy and some other
self-created problems were the bane of the nation’s
problems, urging both Muslim and Christians to
always speak the truth to those in authority.
He said: “It is characteristic of a hypocrite to renege
on the promise made. How can the Federal
Government refuse to fulfil the agreement it
willingly made with the Academic Staff Union of the
Universities? These are signs of hypocrites.
“What kind of government do we have? They made
agreement and could not fulfil it? It is a
characteristic of an unbeliever?
Fashola also decried the slating of the ongoing
consultation by the Presidential Advisory Committee
on National Conference held in Lagos about
1:30p.m. last Friday without consideration to
Muslims leaders who might want to observe their
Jumaat prayers.
He added that any national conference insensitive
to people’s beliefs and norms was bound to fail.
Fashola reiterated that the Boko Haram Islamic
members were not Muslims, adding that it is clearly
stated in the Holy Quran that Muslims should not
destroy God’s creatures, even when provoked.
He, however, blamed the northern leaders for the
insurgence, saying many people in the North had
been neglected for a long period which made their
youths vulnerable to violence orchestrated by
enemies of the nation.
Fashola also took a swipe at the Muslim and
Christian leaders who refused to say the truth to
those in authority for material gains.
He added that people had abandoned God for their
religious leaders who prioritised material gains
over the scriptures.
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