Nyesom Wike, on Tuesday met with the
Academic Staff Union of Universities in Abuja.
It could not be ascertained if the meeting
which lasted barely one hour produced
desirable results.
The ASUU President, Dr. Nasir Fagge and the
minister refused to speak with journalists
after the meeting.
Fagge did not respond to questions on the
outcome of the meeting and the next line of
action of the union.
He simply told one of our correspondents
that, "I am not in a position to talk."
At the meeting were the Executive Secretary
of the National Universities Commission, Prof.
Julius Okojie; the Vice-Chancellor of the
University of Ibadan, Prof. Isaac Adewole and
a few national officers of the union.
Also, Vice-President Namadi Sambo on
Tuesday met briefly with stakeholders in the
nation's education sector.
The stakeholders were led to the meeting
which was held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja
by Wike.
Other members of the delegation included
Okojie and Adewole.
At the end of the brief session, none of the
participants agreed to speak with journalists
when approached.
Other members of the team who came out of
the venue of the meeting a few minutes
before Wike came out had claimed that the
minister would address journalists.
But Wike refused to answer questions when he
emerged from the Vice President's office.
He joined other members of the team in a
brief consultation at the forecourt of the
Presidential Villa before he hurriedly jumped
into his waiting car.
No official statement was also issued by the
Vice President's office on the meeting.
Meanwhile, the Pan-Yoruba Socio-Cultural
group, the Afenifere has appealed to both the
Federal Government and the striking
members of ASUU to shift grounds in the
interest of the future of the students and
education sector in general.
This was contained in a communique issued
by the group and read to journalists by its
Publicity Secretary, Mr. Yinka Odumakin, after
the meeting of the group, on Tuesday in
Akure. It expressed worries that both parties
had failed to shift grounds on the industrial
action which had been on since July 1.
The meeting, which was held at the residence
of the Afenifere Leader, Pa Reuben Fasoranti,
in Akure, also noted that the development was
not healthy for the nation's educational
sector.
In a related development, the National
Association of Kwara State Students has called
on President Goodluck Jonathan to take a
pivotal role by personally being involved in
the negotiation to resolve the strike.
In a statement signed by its President, Ajadi
Muhideen and Public Relations Officer,
Sulyman Alimi, on Tuesday in Ilorin, NAKSS
said such act by Jonathan would further show
his commitment to education growth and
advancement.
It hoped that the direct involvement of
Jonathan in the negotiation would enhance
the quicker resolution of the crisis.
According to the association, Nigerian
students are tired of suffering inadequate
provision of infrastructure as well as lack of
motivation for their lecturers and insufficient
funding.
It stated that there was inadequate lecture
rooms in many tertiary institutions, adding
that under-furnished lecture halls, poorly
equipped or lack of laboratories were some of
the challenges facing the nation's institutions.
NAKSS urged other labour unions in the
country to embark on solidarity strike.
It said, "The Nigerian students are
intellectuals and can see where the wrong is
coming from. We do not need anybody to
sponsor us, the ills are there for all to see.
"It does not go with reason why any Nigerian
student will say a demand for 26 per cent
budgetary allocation or the duly earned
allowances of university lecturers being
requested for is unrealistic."
Source: punch
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