The ASUU strike 2013 continues, and the latest update is a confirmation that President Goodluck Jonathan will re-open the universities, with or without an agreement with the union. A union leader told This Day Live that it has received information confirming a report by Scan News that the president will open the universities regardless of whether an agreement is reached. It appears, though, that the meeting may in fact culminate in an agreement. The 13-hour meeting at the presidential villa began around 2:40 p.m. on Monday and went until 3:30 a.m. on Tuesday, ASUU President Dr. Nasir Isa Faggae told reporters. Fagge said that the the union members were presented with a new offer by the federal government. “We have had a lengthy meeting with Mr. President, rubbing minds on how best to address the problems of university education in this country,” he said. “And we now have a message from Mr. President we are going to take to our members. And we are expecting that our members will respond appropriately to the message of Mr. President.” On whether the lecturers are going back to the classroom, he said: “That is up to our members.” Asked what the message was, he said: “I can’t tell you. Its not for you. It is for our members.” Emeka Wogu, the minister of labour, told reporters that “we made progress.” “The president of ASUU told you that they are going back with a message from the federal government back to their members,” he added. “And the message is a message full of high expectations and hope.” The strike may be called off at any time, Wogu said. At the beginning of the meeting, President Jonathan said: “I hope this strike will end today. Our children have suffered enough. We must find a solution.” He was answered by those in attendance, including Vice President Namadi Sambo and Faggae, by “amen.” The union recently rejected an offer from the federal government of $200 billion, which had been increased from the previous offers of $130 billion and $150 billion. Dr. Thephilus Lagithe, the branch chairman of the union at Nassarawa State University Keffi, said that the federal government actually owes the union $100 billion that was supposed to be paid last year, in addition to $400 billion for this year. Lagithe told the Leadership that next year the government is supposed to pay an additional $500 billion. The strike started in July after the union claimed that the government isn’t following an agreement reached in 2009. Senators recently expressed shock over the demands of the union. Union leaders say that if President Jonathan really does order the re-opening of universities without an agreement, it will meet with stiff resistance. Clement Chup, union chairman for the University of Abuja chapter, said that anything short of following the 2009 agreement is not acceptable. “The attention of our union is drawn to some recent reports in some media alleging that the President of Nigeria will direct the re-opening of all Nigerian universities with or without an amicable resolution with ASUU,” Chup said in a statement. “Authoritarian posturing has never solved and will not solve the impasse. We are calling on Mr President to toe the path of honor and, as a democrat, respect the 2009 Agreement,” he added. “This is the surest and the shortest route to industrial harmony in the University system and the fastest approach to revitalizing the system.” Nwachukwu Anyim is the chairman of the union’s branch at the University of Uyo. He said in a statement that if the president did re-open universities without an end to the strike, it would be “a show of force” that could only, at best, result in a “pyrrhic victory.” That phrase means “A victory won at excessive cost,” or “A victory in which the victor’s losses are as great as those of the defeated,” according to dictionary definitions. Gabriel Suswam, the Benue state governor, told This Day Live that he’s not sure what the strike is about, as all agreements between the union and his committee have been met. I believe the whole issue has been politicized just to discredit and paint a picture of Jonathan as a non-performer,” he said. .... ALL IS WELL! ....
Posted on: Tue, 05 Nov 2013 07:05:30 +0000
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