ASUU STRIKE Update: FG, Lawmakers to meet ASUU over new demand – Education Minister

The Supervising Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike has condemned the new conditions set out by the leadership of ASUU as a yardstick to call off its over four month old strike.

The minister, who said he was going to meet with President Goodluck Jonathan on the development, said the union wants immediate implementation of the N1.2 trillion offered by the government to public universities, starting with the release of N100 billion this year and the balance of N1.1 trillion to be spread over five years from 2014.

Wike, who spoke in Abuja on Monday added, that the Union though indicated readiness to call off the over-prolonged industrial action.

He stressed that the Federal Government and members of the National Assembly would engage the union further on its decision.

According to him, “ASUU has given new conditions, after they had an agreement with President Goodluck Jonathan at the Villa.

“He said, he would meet with the President on the new conditions by ASUU. Among the three conditions given by ASUU in order to end the strike were payment of four months salary arrears which accumulated during the period of the strike; immediate implementation of the N1.2 trillion offered by the government to public universities, starting with the release of N100bn this year and the balance of N1.1tn to be spread over five years from 2014”.

The union also demanded that the salary arrears must not be paid piecemeal. These were some of the resolutions reached by members of the National Executive Council of the union that met in Kano on Friday which has been sent to the Federal Government before they will call off the strike.

Reports indicated that the university lecturers in Nigeria have agreed to end the five-month old strike by ASUU. If the Federal Government agrees to three conditions.

ASUU plans to end strike Jan 2014 — UNILAG faction

The Academic Staff Union of Nigerian Universities (ASUU) is planning to end the ongoing five-month strike mid-January next year, a faction of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) chapter alleged on Monday.

The faction, however, insisted that the closure of Nigerian universities by the lecturers must end this week.

Leader of the faction, Dr Adeyemi Daramola, a lecturer in the Department of English, Faculty of Arts accused the body of assuming oracular posture on the strike.

According to him, “The position of ASUU has not demonstrated original function of its rules which says “reports on agreement from the union universities’ branches should be collated and announced”.

“ASUU-NEC has assumed an oracular posture by its very poor communication to members, government and the Nigerian society.

“The target of ASUU is to call off the strike by mid-January of 2014 which is no longer a rumour in the domain of its members. We have postponed other meetings of this pressure version of UNILAG

ASUU to discuss issues and shall call a new one if ASUU-NEC fails to suspend the strike before the end off the week.

“If necessary, we shall take all legitimate steps to ensure that normalcy is restored to all the Nigerian universities as soon as possible, as the group would not accept the rumour of a resumption date fixed for January, 2014. About two universities’ academic calendar have been wasted on strike, including lecturers’ four months salaries lost.”

Controversies have continued to trail the participation of UNILAG’s chapter of the union, with the new faction allegedly creating uproar at the congress held in the institution yesterday.

Another leader of the anti-strike faction, Dr Michael Ogbeide of the History Department told the Nigerian Tribune on phone that “the ASUU strike had become nonsense and must be stopped. A lot of our members also believe so but are afraid to speak out.”

He assured that the faction would keep pressurising the leadership until the strike is called off.

When asked the next line of action if UNILAG ASUU leadership did not accede to the faction’s request, he said “as an historian, in war, you don’t divulge your strategy before hand.”

Early on Monday morning, there were rumours that the Unilag ASUU had decided to withdraw from the strike, but this was debunked by some members of the union, though it was confirmed that there was a split among the members, with Daramola’s faction reportedly kicking against the institution’s continued participation in the strike.

According to a source who pleaded anonymity, the congress actually turned out disorganised and divided, as some members, during the meeting began to protest, demanding UNILAG’s withdrawal from the strike.

It was learnt that after the meeting became rowdy, the two factions later held separate meetings, with both reportedly resolving to maintain their postures.

The main body insisted that the strike would be on until grey areas are sorted out.

ASUU’s NEC voted to end STRIKE; sets to meet Jonathan for formality – Insider

The majority of member of the National
Executive Council (NEC) of the Academic Staff
Union of Universities (ASUU) who attended the
two-day NEC Meeting of the union that ended
yesterday in Kano voted to end the five-month-
old strike. A report by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)
quoted a source as disclosing that 60 per cent of
the members voted to have the strike called off
while the remaining 40 per cent wanted it to
continue. The report said that ASU, however, resolved to
keep mum until it met with President Goodluck
Jonathan, who is due home this night after
attending a meeting of Nigeria’s Honorary
International Investors’ Council in London. The report quoted a reliable source as saying:
“ASUU has decided to meet with President
Jonathan before making whatever decision
they took during the meeting public.” The NEC meeting considered a fresh proposal
by President Jonathan aimed at ending the
ASUU strike which has paralysed activities on
Nigeria’s university campuses since July 1. The
meeting was billed to hold two weeks ago but
was postponed following the death of a former ASUU President, Professor Festus Iyayi, in a road
accident in Lokoja. ASUU embarked on a national strike that has
shut down all Nigeria’s government owned
universities, since July. The academics wanted government to
implement an agreement reached in 2009, that
would improve funding for infrastructure in the
universities and welfare of the teachers.

STRIKE Update: ASUU vows to continue STRIKE at NEC meeting

Hope of final resolution of the ongoing strike of
the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU)
was dashed on Saturday, as the union has
vowed to continue with the industrial action. This was the outcome of the union’s National
Executive Council (NEC) meeting secretly held
in Kano, where it was agreed that the strike
would continue until it got concrete assurance
of implementation of all agreements from the
Federal Government. In a release the union sent to its members and
obtained by Sunday Tribune, it said: “…based on
feedback from branches, the union resolved to
clear some grey areas before any further action.
If we must remove strikes as a regular feature
in our University system, then we must get things sorted out permanently. Be steadfast as
we await next congress meeting.” Attempts by pressmen, who had positioned
themselves at the Bayero University Kano as
early as 7 a.m. yesterday, to get the outcome of
the meeting were unsuccessful, as it was learnt
that the branch chairmen of the union across
the country, which converged on Kano on Friday, had decided not to talk to the media. Sunday Tribune reliably gathered that the
ASUU NEC was still meeting as of 7 p.m.
yesterday, hoping to reach a concrete decision
which it would transmit to other members at
the next congress meeting. According to a source, who spoke to Sunday
Tribune on condition of anonymity, though the
union agreed that the offer by Federal
Government to inject N200 billion into
universities annually, beginning from 2014 and
for the next four years was sensible, members were skeptical about the implementation of all
the agreements reached. “We agreed that the Federal Government’s
offer is sensible but we are not convinced
about its implementation and so we have to
continue the strike so as to fully sort things out
to avoid future strikes,” the source stated. ASUU had embarked on the strike in July,
following the failure of the Federal
Government to implement a 2009 agreement it
entered into with the union, citing the needs to
upgrade the universities to world standards and
improve the condition of service of the lecturers, among others, with the Federal
Government releasing N100billion for the
improvement of universities and N40 billion to
be shared as earned allowance, while
promising to make more funds available. Sunday Tribune, however, gathered that a
fresh crisis might have been set off in the union
over the issue of earned allowance. According to the source, the manner university
management shared the earned allowance
among varsity workers was already causing
disaffection among ASUU members. The
lecturers, it was learnt, felt bitter that their
struggle had only benefited SSANU and NASU which did not participate in the strike but got
hefty returns, “because the managements have
shared the allowance wrongly. “ASUU members got less than they deserved
from the allowance while other unions fed fat
from it; it looks as if we only fought for other
unions. Members are really angry about this,”
he said, noting that these were some of the
issues that would be tabled at the congress of the union later in the week. Other contentious issues, stated the source,
“are the 2009 agreement which is due for re-
negotioation and our salary. We felt that until
these are resolved, it will be futile to call off
the strike. So the strike continues.”

ASUU strike: Suspend it in honour of Iyayi –UNIBEN Board chairman tells Union

As the Academic Staff Union of Universities’ NEC
meeting gets underway, the Pro-Chancellor and
Chairman of the Governing Board of the University
of Benin, Senator Bob Effiong, has appealed to
the striking lecturers to go back to classrooms as
a last respect to the late Professor Festus Iyayi who lost his life while struggling for the course of
the Union. Iyayi, a former Head of Business Administration
Department of the University of Benin and former
National President of ASUU was killed in an auto
crash while on his way to attend ASUU National
Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Kano. Effiong had expressed that the death of Iyayi was
painful as he was unable to see to the end of
what he was struggling to resolve; a strike he said
had lasted for more than four months. The Chairman had equally, in a condolence visit to
Iyayi’s family yesterday called on the Union to
institute an academic foundation in honour of
Iyayi for his immeasurable contribution to the
nation’s education sector.
“…it is expedient at this point for both the federal government and ASUU to come to an
understanding in honour of this great patriot,”
Effiong said . The condolence message reads thus: “When we
take into cognizance his immense contributions
to ASUU in its quest to reposition Nigerian
universities in the world and his role as a teacher
and scholar, we know that the academia has lost
a rare gem that would be difficult to replace. “However, we want to console you to bear the
loss with fortitude, resting in the knowledge that
Professor Iyayi gave his life in the struggle to
ensure a better and brighter future for the
Nigerian child in terms of sound education.”

ASUU strike: Official confirms postponed NEC meeting will hold Friday

The Chairman of the Academic
Staff Union of Universities, ASUU,
Abubakar Tafawa Balewa
University, Bauchi, Dr Lawan
Abubakar has debunked media
reports that the union had postponed its National Executive
Committee, NEC, meeting slated
for tomorrow. He restated that the leadership of
the Union postponed the scheduled
NEC meeting at Bayero University,
Kano, following the demise of
Festus Iyayi, a former President,
who died last Tuesday in a motor accident along the Abuja-Lokoja
highway. A car in the convoy of Kogi State
Governor, Idris Wada, had hit the
vehicle conveying the deceased and
some ASUU members, leading to
Iyayi’s death. Others injured are
presently receiving treatment. Abubakar who spoke in Bauchi
further denied that the striking
lecturers had accepted the over
N1trillion offered by the Federal
Government. “There is no iota of truth in that.
What the union is agitating for is
the full implementation of the
2009 agreement and nothing less,”
he said. The Union has been on strike since
July 1 over the 2009 agreement it
reached with the Federal
Government. Its leadership has said it will
deliberate on the current Federal
Government’s offer and take a
position after Friday’s NEC
meeting.

ASUU Strike: Uncertainty Pervades Crucial NEC Meeting

As students of the nation's public universities continue to hold their breathe over whether the striking Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) would accept the latest offer of the federal government and end their four-month strike, uncertainty continues to prevail as regards to when the crucial meeting of the National Executive Council (NEC) would hold. THISDAY gathered that the death of the former ASUU President, Prof. Festus Iyayi, is the likeliest reason for the continued delay in holding the meeting. The much-anticipated NEC meeting would be the decider over the fate of students, who have been idling at home for almost five months. There were speculations that the meeting would hold last Saturday, after it was cancelled due to the auto crash which claimed the life of the unionist and author. ASUU’s representatives said there had been no intention to hold the meeting on Saturday.
But some newspapers had reported that the meeting may hold next Friday, even though this was neither confirmed nor debunked by the union. There were also speculations currently that the union may decide to postpone the crucial meeting till next year.
A labour analyst, however, told THISDAY that the meeting was likely to hold after the burial of Iyayi, which had been tentatively slated for the first week of December. "They may have decided to postpone the meeting as a mark of honour to their departed colleague, who died while on his way to the meeting. We should also give them that chance to mourn him," he said.
ASUU President, Dr. Nasir Fagge, did not respond to calls made to his mobile phone.

STRIKE LATEST: ASUU NEC meeting now to hold on Friday

The Academic Staff Union of Universities
(ASUU) may hold its postponed National
Executive Council (NEC) meeting on Friday to
decide whether or not to suspend the
indefinite strike it began since July 2. A top official of ASUU, who preferred
anonymity, disclosed this to Daily Independent
in a telephone interview on Sunday. He was, however, not certain if the NEC will still
be held at the Bayero University, Kano where it
was initially proposed to hold. The leadership of the union postponed the
scheduled Kano NEC meeting following the
demise of one its key members, Festus Iyayi,
who died last Tuesday in a ghastly motor
accident on his way to Kano for the postponed
NEC meeting. The source noted that the union members are
still grieved and are pre-occupied with the
burial arrangement of the late Professor of
Business Administration, who died along the
Abuja-Lokoja highway in an accident caused by
the convoy of Kogi State Governor, Idris Wada. The source debunked speculations in the social
media that ASUU has jettisoned its NEC
indefinitely, saying the union postponed the
NEC meeting as a mark of honour and respect
for the late Iyayi. According to him, all ASUU officials that were
supposed to participate in the NEC meeting
last week Wednesday had actually gathered at
the Bayero University, Kano, but for the
unfortunate accident which claimed the life of
Iyayi and disrupted the agenda already set for the meeting. Meanwhile, Supervisory Minister of Education,
Nyesom Wike, also at the weekend led a
delegation of government on a condolence
visit to the residence of the late academician in
Benin City. Wike assured that the Federal Government
would diligently implement all the agreements
it reached with ASUU in the course of the
negotiations with President Goodluck
Jonathan. Those in the delegation of the minister include
Executive Secretary of the National
Universities Commission (NUC), Julius Okojie,
and some top officials of Federal Ministry of
Education. They also visited the injured ASUU National
Welfare Officer, Ngozi Iloh, who is said to be
responding to treatment at the University of
Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin. In a statement in Abuja on Sunday, the
Minister’s Special Assistant (Media), Simeon
Nwakaudu, said Wike solicited the permission
of the family to allow the Federal Government
participate in the burial ceremony of the
former ASUU president. “President Goodluck Jonathan and the entire
administration are deeply pained by the sudden
death of the former ASUU National President
who played a key part in the negotiations
between ASUU and the Federal Government. “We recall the significant contributions of
Professor Iyayi during the 13-hour negotiations
between President Jonathan and ASUU, which
led to a headway in the discussions. “I want to assure the family that the ideals that
the late scholar fought and died for will never
be forgotten. The Federal Government will
diligently implement the decisions reached in
the course of negotiations with ASUU. “The Federal Ministry of Education wishes to be
a part of the burial of this erudite scholar and
we seek the permission of the family to
participate in the burial. I pray God to grant the
family the strength to bear this unfortunate
loss,” Wike was quoted to have said. Oriabure Iyayi, son of the late ASUU president,
was said to have thanked President Jonathan,
the Minister of Education and all Nigerians for
commiserating with the family at their moment
of grief. A relative of the deceased, Prof. Robert
Ebiwele, informed the minister that the burial
will hold between December 5 and 9. He assured that the family would inform the
Federal Ministry of Education on the burial
arrangements.

ASUU strike: Union confirms NEC meeting did not hold

Dr. Olusegun Ajiboye, the chairman of the
Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, in
the University of Ibadan, has confirmed that
stories which made the rounds on Saturday,
that the National Executive Council, NEC, would
hold an emergency meeting in Kano, were false. Ajiboye was speaking in an interview on
Diamond FM, University of Ibadan and stated
that no meeting was scheduled for today, as
they were still in the middle of a seven-day
morning, which was declared in honour of the
late Professor Festus Iyayi, a former national chairman of the Union. It would be recalled that Iyayi lost his life in a
fatal crash, on his way to Bayero University,
Kano, where members of ASUU were to meet
and reach a final decision, on whether to
continue with the strike or accept the federal
government’s offer.

ASUU suspends NEC meeting indefinitely, strike continues

The meeting was suspended to honour
Festus Iyayi. The Academic Staff Union of Universities,
ASUU, has suspended its National
Executive Council, NEC, meeting initially
scheduled to hold at Bayero University,
Kano, on Wednesday. The meeting was
suspended indefinitely. The ASUU National President, Nasiru
Fagge, stated this on Wednesday
afternoon. The meeting was suspended because of
the death of Festus Iyayi, a former ASUU
President, who died in a car accident on
Tuesday on his way to the NEC meeting. Mr. Iyayi was involved in a ghastly auto
accident allegedly caused by the convoy of
the Kogi State Governor, Idris Wada. Several members of the executive council
from various universities across Nigeria
were already in Kano for the meeting. ASUU has been on strike since July 1 and
the NEC meeting was to deliberate on the
resolutions of various chapters of ASUU
on whether the strike should be
suspended or not. Details later…

STRIKE: ASUU postpones NEC meeting over Iyayi’s death

ASUU President – Nasir Fage Following the sudden death of its former
president, Professor Festus Iyayi, who
died yesterday afternoon in a fatal auto
crash that occurred in Lokoja while
travelling to Kano for the Union’s
Executive meeting slated for today Wednesday 13th of November 2013 in
which the decision to call off or continue
the four months old strike embarked upon
by the University lecturers is expected to
be made, the Academic Staff Union of
Universities (ASUU) has hereby postponed its today’s decider meeting to a later date. The former President of the Academic
Staff Union of Universities, Prof. Festus
Iyayi, died on Tuesday in a car crash on
Lokoja-Abuja Expressway.

'ASUU Should Not Hold Students to Ransom'

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has been urged not to hold students to ransom anymore, while bargaining with the federal government for improved conditions of service. Chairman, Board of Trustees Students in Nigeria Re-awakening Initiative (STINRI), Mr. Nathan Ogunike, told THISDAY in an interview yesterday, a situation where students' future was jeopardised because of the teachers' agitation was reprehensible. He spoke just as stakeholders attending the 28th Conference of the Association of
Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities (AVCNU) yesterday in Akure said everybody was a loser in the lingering dispute between ASUU and the federal government that had led to the closure of universities since July. Nathan called on the union to hasten up the process towards the reopening of the universities by calling off the strike in the interest of the students. According to him, his group will mobilise the people for a protest if both the federal government and ASUU failed to resolve their differences.
He added that the federal government should honour the agreement it entered into with ASUU, while the union should go back to the classroom for the sake of the youths. Meanwhile, as the 28th conference of AVCNU opened yesterday in Akure, stakeholders lamented that everybody would be a loser on the long run in the face-off between the federal government
and ASUU. The conference, hosted by the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), drew participants from the 129 public and private universities in Nigeria and other stakeholders such as the Institute of Chattered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and the National University Commission (NUC). In his welcome address, FUTA Vice- Chancellor, Prof. Adebiyi Daramola, expressed regret that the nation has lost four months to the ASUU strike, adding that the dispute was already having negative effects on the universities.

Professor Iyayi Killed by Kogi Governor’s Convoy

Tragedy struck Tuersday when the former President of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Professor Festus Iyayi, was killed in a ghastly motor accident.
The former ASUU president was said to be on his way to Kano with three other members of ASUU, University of Benin chapter, when the vehicle they were travelling in was hit by a police escort vehicle in the convoy of the Kogi State Governor, Capt. Idris Wada, around Lokoja,
the state capital. Following the impact, the vehicle was knocked off the road and somersaulted three times, killing the professor of Business Administration instantly. The unfortunate incident happened at Banda village yesterday when the governor was returning from an official engagement in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. In a statement by Jacob Edi, Special Adviser to the Governor, Media, the Kogi State Government said the convoy was moving at 80 kilometers per hour when a bus collided with the escort vehicle. The condition of Iyayi’s three other colleagues was also described as critical at press time yesterday, as they were said to be in a coma. The statement added that at least six victims with varying degrees of injuries from both sides are currently hospitalised, Edi said Wada ordered a full-scale investigation into the accident, when he paid a visit to the injured. An ambulance was said to have been dispatched from Benin to Kogi State to convey Iyayi's body to Benin. Iyayi was part of the ASUU negotiating team, which met with the federal government last week, and was travelling to Kano in continuation of efforts to resolve the logjam that had ensued over the strike with his colleagues, before his death. His death yesterday threw ASUU and the University of Benin community into mourning. Reacting to Iyayi's death yesterday, President Goodluck Jonathan commiserated with the leadership and members of ASUU over his tragic death. He equally extended sincere condolences to Iyayi’s family as well as his colleagues, friends and associates across the country and beyond.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, the president joined them in mourning the renowned academic and award-winning writer. “Iyayi rose to national prominence in the 1980s with his courageous leadership of ASUU in its struggle for a better working environment for teachers and academics in the nation’s university system,” the president observed. Jonathan said he was particularly dismayed by the fact that Iyayi had sadly lost his life while going to contribute to efforts meant to finally resolve the current ASUU strike which has unfortunately disrupted academic studies in most of the nation’s universities for over four months. Jonathan prayed for God to comfort all who mourn Iyayi and grant his soul eternal rest. Also, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, condoled the Nigerian academic community and the family of Iyayi on his tragic death. In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Malam Imam Imam, Tambuwal described the deceased as a respected teacher and unionist who gave his all for the progress of the education sector. According to the speaker, late Iyayi's lifetime of struggles would no doubt inspire many upcoming lecturers and unionists to render selfless services to their country.
While urging ASUU and the Federal Ministry of Education to immortalise the late professor, Tambuwal prayed to the Almighty God to give his family the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss. In the same vein, organised labour yesterday expressed shock over the death of Iyayi.
A statement by the Vice President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Issa Aremu, said the Nigeria labour movement had indeed lost a tested and committed activist of decent work in the universities and Nigerian labour market. The statement said Iyayi would be remembered for the honesty, commitment and abundant energy he brought to the struggle of working men and women for improved working and living conditions. It added that the death of Iyayi was a reminder to the federal government to urgently bring to a permanent end the persistent crisis of funding of public education. “Late Festus would be remembered for the honesty and commitment, as well as abundant energy he brought to the struggle of working men and women for improved working and living conditions. “The fact that he tragically died while reportedly travelling for the resolution of the four-month long strike of university lecturers was an eloquent testimony to his
life and deeds; service to the working people and humanity! “Fighters and comrades like comrade Festus hardly say goodbye. In literary and metaphoric terms, Festus is the latest major casualty of Nigeria's crisis of governance.
“Accidents are the norm (not exception) along the notorious Kogi-Lokoja road which for well over a decade remains under permanent ‘construction’ and ‘rehabilitation’ despite serial awards of contracts by various governments,” the NLC lamented. In another statement on the tragedy, the Chairman, University of Ibadan branch of ASUU, Dr. Segun Ajiboye, who regretted the incident, said it was a sad day for the union, which has lost a rare gem and a great leader with an impeccable character. Asked if the union will still go ahead with its planned National Executive Council (NEC) meeting today, he said members of the union were in deep mourning (all Nigerians should be) and were not thinking about anything at the moment, except the loss the past leader. In his reaction, Prof. Friday Okonofua, of the University of Benin, held Wada for being responsible for Iyayi's death. “It is the governor of Kogi that killed him. He was killed by a reckless convoy. He killed one of our most distinguished academics who had won laurels from all over the world. We would hold the governor of Kogi responsible for his death,” Prof. Okonofua said.

Confusion Trails ASUU’s Move ToSuspend Strike

The next move of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) is not yet clear, even after its zonal chapters have held congress meetings to deliberate on a new offer from the federal government. The union’s National Executive Council (NEC) is expected to hold a decisive meeting tomorrow to make its final position known. Following a marathon meeting with President Jonathan last week, the ASUU leadership had briefed the zonal coordinators on the outcome and consequently directed the local branches to organise congress meetings to vote for or against the suspension of the four-month-old strike. But reports coming from the Jos chapter of ASUU yesterday said the lecturers voted in favour of continuation of the strike on the grounds that the meeting between the union and Jonathan did not achieve anything concrete. The Jos decision was taken at a referendum where 194 voted for the strike to be continued while 80 voted in favour of a suspension. Those who spoke in favour of the strike to continue wondered why it should be called off on the basis of pleas and verbal promises by the President Jonathan when the government is allegedly reputed for not honouring agreements. LEADERSHIP further gathered that those rooting for the suspension of the strike spoke passionately on the need to consider the impact of the strike on students and the gesture from Jonathan who met personally with ASUU leaders and pleaded with them to suspend the strike. Dr David Jangkham, chairman of the University of Jos chapter, after announcing the results of the voting, said the national body which would collate the referendum from various chapters will come up with a stand on whether the strike would be suspended or sustained. The ASUU congress, University of Ibadan, failed to reach a resolution to end the strike. Although journalists were barred from covering the congress, feelers have it that members asked their leadership to commit the president to signing the resolution of FG/ASUU meeting held last week and include a non- victimisation clause so as not to allow any contentious issue to be generated afterwards about the agreement. Also speaking in a solidarity appearance at the congress, former minister of petroleum Prof. Tam David West yesterday warned that only justice in all sectors can stop any form of strike in Nigeria. He said, “ASUU will continue to go on strike as long as there is injustice in the system. I am not congratulating the president. How can I commend him for a
wasted five months? This should be condemned. You must sign what you will
implement. I am saying that I will continue to support ASUU struggles.” As at the time of filing this report, members of the ASUU at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, were still holding the chapter’s congress, but sources close to the union confirmed that members had already opted for the suspension of the industrial action. Similarly, other members of the union from various other campuses including Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, LAUTECH, Ogbomoso; Rivers State University of Science and Technology, RSUST, Port Harcourt; and Kogi State University, Ayingba, told LEADERSHIP that they were optimistic that the strike would be called off on Thursday after the NEC might have met between tomorrow evening and Thursday morning. Meanwhile, arrangements have been concluded for tomorrow’s crucial NEC meeting of the ASUU at the Bayero University, Kano, where the protracted strike embarked upon by the teachers’ union is expected to be called off. Investigations by LEADERSHIP revealed that some of the union’s chapters’ leaders were already moving to the venue of the meeting as at yesterday following the conclusion of their congresses earlier in the day. The chairman of the University of Lagos, UNILAG, chapter of the union, Dr Oghenekaro Ogbinaka, told LEADERSHIP that he was already on his way to Kano when the newspaper called to know the outcome of the chapter’s congress. But efforts to speak to the chairman of the NEC’s host university, Dr A. Baffa, was unsuccessful as calls put through to his mobile line were unanswered. Incidentally, some university students are already getting set to return to campuses and have appealed to ASUU not to dampen their spirits. Some students, however, said that the timing of the suspension could pose a challenge. One of the students who sought anonymity said, “I’ll be glad if the strike is called off, because it is long overdue but there might be a problem with the timing. There is every possibility that once we get back to school, we’d be rushed through the first semester and might find ourselves writing exams when we are hardly prepared for it.” Another student said, “Many of us, the affected students, have not been idle during this period. We have projects already in motion that would be abruptly cut short if we are called back to school now. It won’t be a very bad idea if we start the academic year on a fresh page in January.” A 300-level student also said that academic performances of students might suffer. She said, “Many students have become very distant from their books and, since exams might be looming almost immediately after resumption, we might not have enough time to reconcile ourselves with our academic level before the strike.” Jonathan frowns at disruption of academic activities in varsities President Goodluck Jonathan has frowned at the frequent strikes and disruptions of academic activities in tertiary institutions, particularly universities in the country, saying this has negatively affected the quality and output of the system. He has therefore, called on the staff unions of these institutions to continue to emphasise dialogue in the resolution of conflict or any misunderstanding. Jonathan who was represented by the supervising minister of education, Nyesom Wike, spoke yesterday while declaring open the 2nd National Education Innovations Exhibition holding
at Old Parade Ground, Abuja. Jonathan, who spoke against the backdrop of the over four-month-old strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) as well as the ongoing strike by the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), said there
was the need for all Nigerians to demonstrate “a sense of patriotism in dealing with situations that involve the future of our children and country”. He said: “We need therefore to be conscious of the impact on our children, institutions and the country at large, of unnecessary disruptions in our educational institutions. There is therefore the need to emphasize dialogue where conflict or any sort of misunderstanding arose. This is the civilized approach to doing things so as not to have negative effect on society.” He added that with so much investment in higher education by his administration, the challenge should be on getting value for the nation, saying this value must be in relation to quality education and research output. President Jonathan, while challenging universities and other tertiary institutions on innovativeness, stressed that tertiary institutions must provide the necessary leadership in providing the body of knowledge to move the country forward. He maintained that the position of Nigeria as a great nation in this and subsequent centuries would be dependent on how the education system is repositioned in order to drive the nation’s development and competitive advantage. Jonathan further charged the tertiary institutions in the country to link their output with national development needs, adding that higher institutions should be able to develop collaborative arrangements with the private sector to enhance getting their work into the wider society. He revealed that as part of efforts to improve on the creativity amongst the youth in the country, his administration has, in the past three years, provided over 70million English language, Mathematics, Basic Science and Technology activity books for primary 1 to 6. Jonathan said over 7 million library resource materials have also been provided for junior secondary schools, while TETFund has in the High Impact fund, provided over N109 billion in the five phases to support tertiary institutions in enhancing their capacity as centres of excellence. Wike disclosed that the federal government will, in the next few days, release the sum of N3 billion under the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) Research Scheme, as initial grant to support educational institutions and individuals in research and innovation across the country. He urged the tertiary institutions in the country to appreciate the huge investment of the federal government in the sector and ensure that there is commensurate return on investment through notable achievements in research and innovation.

SOURCE: LEADERSHIP

ASUU Strike Updates: UNILAG, UI, Others Voted In Congresses To Call Off Strike

Barring a last-minute change, the National
Executive Committee of ASUU will at its
meeting on Wednesday night suspend the
lingering ASUU strike to allow public university
students to return to their classes as reports
from the various local congresses of the union today has shown. Campus Times gathered that at the University,
members of ASUU in the University who have
been front-liners in the industrial action today
accepted the new offer from the FG and voted
that the strike be suspend. Other Universities
that have so far voted for the suspension of the industrial action are Ahmadu Bello
University, Zaria, Uthman Dan Fodio University
Sokoto, Federal University of Technology
MINNA, and the University of Lagos. Others
are, the University of Calabar, Federal
University of Technology Akure, and Ekiti State University. As of Press time, only the
University of Benin has refused to yield to the
call that the 4-month old ASUU strike be
suspended. It will be recall the the Academic Staff Union of
Nigeria Universities (ASUU) has on 1 July, 2013
embarked on an indefinite strike to put
pressure on the FG to implement the 2009
agreement it entered into with the Union.

ASUU we will end strike when all monetary and regulatory agencies sign

Members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities(ASUU) have met and doled out conditions to be met by President Goodluck Jonathan if the strike is to be called off.

Part of this condition, is that all federal parastatals in charge of fund, labour, and education must sign the agreement purportedly reached between its leadership and the Federal Government on Tuesday, our source revealed.

He said meeting the above condition, would  give the association the confidence that the Federal Government knows what it is doing when it signed the agreement.

According to him, the only mandate is that 2009 agreement must be met and that the body has not reached any agreement with theFederal Government.

He stated that since the Federal Government promised to release N220bn every year for five years, then all monetary and regulatory agencies must sign. The Central Bank of Nigeria, Ministries of Finance and Labour, National Assembly, Office of the Presidency, National Universities Commission, Tertiary Education Trust Fund, Trade Union Congress and our umbrella body, the Nigeria Labour Congress, must sign.

This move he said will give ASUU the confidence that the government is serious about calling off the strike and no argument will ensue on it in the nearest future.

Asked if the strike will end next week as speculated he said the strike coming to an end is not certain as he doubts where the presidents intends to get a huge amount of money from.

Our source revealed that ASUU fears the president's enticing promises may all be politics, all in a bid to get them to go back into the classroom, only to renege on his promises.

ASUU we will end strike when all monetary and regulatory agencies sign

Members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities(ASUU) have met and doled out conditions to be met by President Goodluck Jonathan if the strike is to be called off.

Part of this condition, is that all federal parastatals in charge of fund, labour, and education must sign the agreement purportedly reached between its leadership and the Federal Government on Tuesday, our source revealed.

He said meeting the above condition, would  give the association the confidence that the Federal Government knows what it is doing when it signed the agreement.

According to him, the only mandate is that 2009 agreement must be met and that the body has not reached any agreement with theFederal Government.

He stated that since the Federal Government promised to release N220bn every year for five years, then all monetary and regulatory agencies must sign. The Central Bank of Nigeria, Ministries of Finance and Labour, National Assembly, Office of the Presidency, National Universities Commission, Tertiary Education Trust Fund, Trade Union Congress and our umbrella body, the Nigeria Labour Congress, must sign.

This move he said will give ASUU the confidence that the government is serious about calling off the strike and no argument will ensue on it in the nearest future.

Asked if the strike will end next week as speculated he said the strike coming to an end is not certain as he doubts where the presidents intends to get a huge amount of money from.

Our source revealed that ASUU fears the president's enticing promises may all be politics, all in a bid to get them to go back into the classroom, only to renege on his promises.

ASUU strike: Lecturers to meet on Monday to vote on going back to class

Next week Monday, the Academic Staff Union of Nigerian Universities (ASUU), will hold a referendum, where the lecturers will discuss the outcome of this week’s meeting with President Jonathan.

At the meeting, they are expected to decided whether or not the four-month strike will continue. Invitations have reportedly been sent out by the local chapters of ASUU to the union’s members, calling on them to attend, so they can be part of reaching important conclusions.

It will be the first time the lecturers will meet, after the 13-hour long meeting they held with the president and observers are optimistic that the strike will be called off soon.

ASUU STRIKE: FG, ASUU To Meet Again Next Week

Academic Staff Union of Universities met across
the country on Thursday to consider the offer by
the Federal Government. The ASUU President, Dr. Nasir Faggae after a
meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan which
ended in the early hours of Tuesday had told
reporters that the union would take back an
undisclosed message to their members. The PUNCH gathered that the striking public
universities lecturers met in the nine zones of
ASUU with branch chairmen to discuss the
outcome of the meeting with the President. The meetings presided over by zonal coordinators
afforded them (zonal coordinators) the
opportunity to brief the branch chairmen about
the offer made by the Federal Government to
revamp the public universities across the country. The Federal Government had at the last Tuesday
marathon meeting agreed to inject N1.1tn into
the universities over the next five years. The
money, the Federal Government promised, would
be released at the rate of N220bn annually
starting from 2014. The Ibadan zone of ASUU held its meeting at the
Federal University Abeokuta on Thursday while
that of the North Central Zone took place at the
Federal University, Lokoja, Kogi State. Sources at both meetings said that though the
union officials were not happy that the N400bn
per year they asked for was not granted, they were
however happy at the sincerity of purpose
displayed by President Jonathan. Though they expressed varied opinion about the
offer, they were unanimous in commending
Jonathan for being the first Nigerian leader to
meet with the union. When contacted, the Coordinator of the North
Central Zone, Dr. Suleiman Mohammad declined
comments on the meeting. Mohammed, who said he was attending to some
pressing issues, said only the ASUU President
could speak on the issue. But feelers across the zones, however, suggested
that the lecturers might have accepted the offer of
the government. Although branch chairmen still have to call
congresses, it was gathered that the union may
have made up its mind to call off the strike after
meeting with the Federal Government again next
week. A top official of the union said "We are happy with
the humility shown by Jonathan to personally
meet with us. This is the first time a sitting
President will meet with the union to thrash out
issues. Members were impressed with him and
the strong commitment that he displayed. But some expressed fear that the new deal could go
the way of past agreements that were not
honoured.

ASUU strike: Don tasks FG, Union on committment, understanding

Reactions have continued to trail Monday’s meeting between the Federal Government and the leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) aimed at ending the lecturers’ protracted strike.

President Goodluck Jonathan led the negotiation meeting held with the ASUU leadership to find ways of ending the strike, which began in public universities in July 1.
At the end of the meeting, the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Chukwuemeka Wogu, said that it ended positively and that Jonathan’s message to ASUU was full of hopes.

According to him, the offer made by Jonathan is in line with the 2009 agreement reached by the Federal Government and the union, over which the lecturers embarked on the strike.

The Vice-Chancellor, Covenant University, Ota in Ogun, Prof. Charles Ayo, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the two parties must show understanding and commitment.

Ayo said that the Federal Government and ASUU must also show patriotism in order to develop and sustain public universities and the entire education sector.

“The only way out is for the parties to show understanding; let there be no master-and-servant situation.

“Let the parties be willing to concede some grounds.

“Let them know that it is not all that they bring to the table can pass, so that we can make progress in an attempt to improve the quality of education and access to it, ’’he said.

According to him, what makes universities world class is the level of commitment shown by both the government and the workforce.

Ayo urged Jonathan to write his name in gold by developing the education sector.

ASUU President, Dr Nasir Fagge, had told newsmen at the end of Monday’s negotiation that the union would take Jonathan’s message to its members.

“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,” he said. (NAN)