Again, govt seeks end to strike AGAINST the backdrop of reports that the Federal Government intends to use Monday’s meeting to compel the reopening of universities, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has said that any proposal not based on a clear acceptance of a frame-work for implementing the 2009 agreement would not be acceptable.
The union further warned against the threat of forceful reopening of universities, stating that it would be the height of dictatorship and would deepen the present crisis in the education sector rather than end the union’s ongoing industrial action.
Chairman of Bauchi Branch and member of ASUU National Working Committee, Dr. Lawan Abubakar, declared Sunday: “It is our hope that the meeting of ASUU leaders with the President scheduled for Monday (today) will be a dialogue leading to a mutually acceptable, fair and far-reaching solution based on the implementation of the FGN-ASUU 2009 agreement.”
His declaration came as Vice President and Chairman of the Federal Government’s negotiation team, Namadi Sambo, called on the ASUU to end the protracted strike in the interest of students and the nation.
Speaking yesterday at the commissioning of Bauchi State University at Gadau, Sambo said that about N2.2 billion had been approved for the university as a special intervention fund by the Federal Government.
He assured that government would continue to support and partner the state on education, stating that no nation would grow without education. Sambo said the Federal Government had embarked on total rehabilitation of railways, development of irrigation farming and training of youths on ICT to create wealth and improve the economy of citizenry.
However, Abubakar maintained that the outcome of today’s dialogue must also include the January 24, 2012 Memorandum of Understanding and the recommendations of the 2012 Needs Assessment Report on Nigerian public universities.
According to him, anything short of implementing the 2009 agreement will not be a solution to the present crisis. He called on President Goodluck Jonathan to honour the agreement for justice and industrial harmony.
From the Secretary of University of Ibadan (UI) chapter, Dr. Ayodeji Omole, came the submission that the Federal Government’s reported plan to forcefully reopen the universities could portray the government as anti-democratic.
Omole said that while the union welcomes the invitation of ASUU to a meeting today (Monday), it would be unacceptable to the striking teachers if government does not come out with a clear agenda for implementing the 2009 agreement.
He asked President Goodluck Jonathan to set good example by sticking to agreements and promoting justice and industrial harmony, noting that ASUU is a body of intellectuals and that its members were ready to pursue the revitalisation of public education to a logical end.
Also, Chairman of the University of Uyo Branch, Nwachukwu Anyim, has expressed fears over the proposed meeting with government. In a statement in Uyo, Ayim said the union appreciates Mr. President’s interest but is worried that such optimism might not yield desired results.
“Ordinarily, the invitation by the President would give the impression that the resolution of the strike was on the horizon,” he said.
“While hoping that the Federal Government would see reason to finally resolve the issues in contention, we urge well-meaning Nigerians and stakeholders to persuade government to implement the agreement with the union in order to save Nigeria’s public universities.”
Also yesterday, a statement from the ASUU Zonal Co-ordinator, University of Abuja Chapter, Dr. Clement Chup, said it would be unacceptable to members if the Federal Government fails to come up with a clear agenda for implementing the 2009 agreement.
“We wish to further state that while our union looks forward to an immediate resolution of the impasse through government’s commitment to implementing the 2009 FGN/ASUU agreement, we shall not in any way be intimidated into jeopardising the future of our students, and by implication, the country, through half measures or by coercion,” he said.
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