THERE are
strong indications that the 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.
“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.”
Vanguard.
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