protracted strike by Academic Staff Union of
Universities, ASUU, that has crippled academic
activities for over four months may end in the
next one week, Vanguard has gathered.
Vanguard sources at the Monday night meeting
between the Federal Government led by
President Goodluck Jonathan, the leadership of
ASUU, Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and Trade
Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, said both the
Federal Government and leaders of ASUU had
shifted grounds and leaders of ASUU would
meet with its organ (National Executive
Council) to brief members of the outcome and
then take necessary action.
One of the sources told Vanguard: "Both the
Federal Government and the leadership of
ASUU are now on the same page. Both parties
have shifted grounds. The leadership of ASUU
will now meet with its appropriate organ to
brief its members and take the necessary
action.
President Goodluck Jonathan (left); ASUU Vice
President, Mr. Biodun Ogunyemi Onabanjo
(2nd right); Vice President Namadi Sambo (2nd
left) and ASUU President, Nasir Faggae (right)
during the meeting.
"ASUU is in the right position to inform the
public after meeting with its organ. However, I
can tell you that all things being equal, the
strike should be over in the next one week."
The meeting between the government and the
labour leaders started at about 2:30pm on
Monday and ended at about 3:30am on
Tuesday with a 15 minutes break.
Fagge, Wogu speak
National President of ASUU, Dr. Nasir Isa
Fagge, emerged from the meeting and curtly
told newsmen that his delegation was taking
back a message from President Jonathan to
their members.
He declined to disclose what the message was
and when asked whether he was satisfied with
the outcome of the meeting, the ASUU leader
told journalists not to put words in his mouth.
He said: "We have had a lengthy meeting with
Mr. President, rubbing minds on how best to
address the problem of university education in
this country.
"We now have a message from Mr. President
that we are going to take to our members and
we are expecting that our members will
respond appropriately to his message."
The Minister of Labour, Chief Emeka Wogu,
who also attended the meeting, told journalists
after the meeting that certain mileage had
been attained and expressed the hope that the
university lecturers would call off the strike
soon.
He said: "The President of ASUU told you that
they are going back with a message from the
Federal Government to their members and the
message is full of high expectation and hope.
"Our prayer is that they will come back with a
positive outcome. They might even not come
back to meet us. They might take decisions
that will meet your expectations."
According to the Minister, what government
brought to the negotiation table were offers
that were in tandem with the 2009 agreements
between it and ASUU, pointing out that since
the strike was based on the 2009 agreement,
the government did not go beyond that
agreement.
Roll call
President Jonathan, who led the Federal
Government's delegation, was joined by Vice
President Namadi Sambo; Minister of Finance,
Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; Secretary to the
Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius
Anyim; Supervising Minister of Education,
Nyesom Wike; and minister of Labour, Emeka
Wogu.
The ASUU delegation was led by its President,
Dr. Nasiru Fagge; past presidents such as
Professor Abdulahi Sule-Kano, Dr. Dipo Fashina
and Professor Festus Iyayi.
Other members of the delegation were Prof.
Biodun Ogunyemi, Prof. Victor Osodeke, Prof.
Suleiman Abdul, Dr. Victor Igbum and Mr.
Michael Odunmoraye.
President NLC, Abdulawahid Omar and TUC,
Bobboi Kaigama, also attended the meeting.
While exchanging pleasantries with the ASUU
delegation, President Jonathan had told them "I
hope this strike will end today. Our children
have suffered enough. We must find a
solution."
Source: vanguardngr
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