Strike Latest: ASUU To hold congresses Monday; takes decision next Saturday The various chapters of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, are scheduled to hold their congresses on Monday to decide whether or not to suspend the over four month indefinite strike. This disclosure was made by the chairman of the University of Calabar, UNICAL, branch of ASUU, Dr. James Okpiliya. Okpiliya, who spoke exclusively with Saturday Mirror, further disclosed that the report of the chapter congresses will be submitted to an enlarged National Executive Committee, NEC, of the union. According to the Senior Lecturer at the Department of English and Literary Studies, “Nigerians should understand that ASUU is structured in a way that the national president has no power to call off or suspend strike. “In fact, even NEC cannot on its own suspend strike, and that is why all the universities will hold chapter congresses to decide whether to suspend the strike or not. “When we are done on Monday, we will simultaneously submit our individual reports to NEC on Wednesday,” Okpiliya said. He noted that the strike will be called-off if the number of branches for is more than those against. Asked to be categorical on when a decision will likely be made, he said “may be Saturday”. It will be recalled that President Goodluck Jonathan had held a marathon meeting with the leadership of ASUU on Monday, where he was said to have offered the union N220 billion as part of its “enhanced allowances.” Consequently, ASUU president, Dr. Nasir Fagge, who led his members to the over ten hours’ meeting, said he was taking “a message” from President Jonathan to NEC. ASUU declared an indefinite strike on July 1, to compel the federal government to implement the 2009 agreement both parties were said to have signed. IS THERE ANY HOPE? Short URL: osundefender.org/?p=131134
Posted on: Sat, 09 Nov 2013 16:02:45 +0000