ASUU STRIKE: FG bows, extends deadline to Dec 9
seven-day ultimatum given to striking university lecturers to
resume today or be sacked as it now gave them till Monday,
December 9. This came as most members of the Academic
Staff Union of Universities remained adamant and vowed to
continue with the strike until their demands were met.
ASUU president, Dr. Nasir Issa Fagge has also assured that
once the government opens the bank account with N200
billion as requested by the union, the strike would be
suspended.
Supervising Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike, who
announced the shift in the date for the compulsory
resumption of Federal Universities to Monday, December 9,
said it was as a mark of respect for the former National
President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities,
ASUU, Professor Festus Iyayi, who died in an auto accident
on his way to a National Executive Committee meeting of
ASUU.
Speaking in Abuja, yesterday, Mr Wike said that the family
of the late Professor Iyayi officially informed the ministry of
the burial rites for the late ASUU President through the
National Universities Commission, NUC, on Monday, hence
the shift in the mandatory resumption date.
He said that the Federal Government will fully participate in
the burial rites of the former ASUU President.
According to a statement by the minister's Special Assistant,
Simeon Nwakaudu: "The decision to shift the date of the
compulsory resumption of Federal Universities for academic
activities has been taken as a result of the respect we have
for the former ASUU President".
Wike stated that the Federal Government took the decision
to re-open the universities in the interest of Nigerians and
not to engender any form of show-down with ASUU.
He said Nigerians must appreciate the fact that the pro-
chancellors and chairmen of the Federal Universities
Governing Councils took the decision to re-open the schools,
pointing out that the Federal Government's directive was to
the vice-chancellors who are expected to comply with the
directive of the pro-chancellors.
The minister also said that the Federal Government has
already opened a dedicated account for the revival of
infrastructure in the universities, while the Permanent
Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education has signed the
resolution that the Federal Government will commit
N1.3trillion into the revival of infrastructure in the
universities.
He stated that despite the repeated misrepresentation of
facts on the 2009 FGN-ASUU agreement, the Federal
Government had implemented over 80 per cent of the
issues contained in the document, with only the payment of
earned allowances and revitalisation of infrastructure
pending.
Complying lecturers to get salary arrears
The Executive Secretary of the National Universities
Commission, NUC, Professor Julius Okojie, who briefed
journalists in Abuja, yesterday, said the Federal
Government was ready to pay the four-month salary
arrears owed academic staff who returns to work.
According to him: "Councils have been directed to shift the
resumption date to December 9. The new deadline, has
already been communicated to the Pro-Chancellors Tuesday
(yesterday) morning.
"The Federal Government as an employer of labour cannot
just fold its arms while the institutions remain shut and its
clients — the students — continue to suffer.
"You cannot pay someone who has failed to resume work.
You are on strike and you want to be paid. What if some
have already left the system? Some of our very bright
lecturers may have got jobs elsewhere already."
Okojie noted that "the resumption order does not
necessarily mean students would commence academic
activities immediately but the school environment has to be
put back in shape as reptiles may have taken over some
places, and the Senate of each institution has to revisit the
academic calendar. Students would be expected to resume
one or two weeks after the December 9 resumption
deadline,".
Okojie while responding to several issues raised by ASUU,
insisted that it was a general consensus at the November 4,
2013 meeting with the President to have the Permanent
Secretary of the Education Ministry sign the resolutions
reached after the meeting.
Okojie stressed that the issue of the inclusion of a non-
victimization clause as now demanded by ASUU did not
even come up at all during and after the meeting.
"Jega and Awuzie are past ASUU chairmen. Are they not
holding good positions in Nigeria today? Why would anyone
victimize someone for exercising his right?
If anyone would
do such a thing, not the Jonathan government. In fact the
mood that day did not reflect such, we were all smiles and
hugs. After that meeting we were all hopeful that was the
end of the crises," he said.
He wondered why ASUU would return three weeks later,
after it had failed to get back to government on November
8 as agreed, and demand addition of new clauses.
He said: "The 2009 Agreement stipulates that any party
that wants a re-negotiation should inform the Ministry of
Labour. If ASUU had said they would resume, but the
outstanding issues must be addressed, government would
have no choice,".
On the N200 billion revitalization fund which ASUU is
demanding should be disbursed within two weeks, Okojie
diclosed that the money has been deposited in an account in
the Central Bank of Nigeria.
"The money cannot, however, be disbursed just anyhow
because they are meant for capital projects", he said.
Okojie again appealed to the striking union to return to
work in the interest of students who he described as the
victims.
"One of the universities in Uganda where our children are
enrolling, neigbouring countries do not even accept their
degrees. Our children are going to schools with poorer
degrees," he lamented.
ASUU gives condition for strike suspension
Meanwhile, the President of the Academic Staff Union of
Universities, Dr. Nasir Issa Fagge, yesterday, gave
conditions for the suspension of the six month old strike.
Fagge who spoke on Channels Television, yesterday
morning, said once government opens the bank account with
N200 billion, requested by the union, the strike would be
suspended.
He said "once that is done, and the committee that is
supposed to disburse the funds starts working, our members
will have no reason not to suspend the strike action". Dr.
Faggie said the union insists on documentation.
He asked: "Why won't government make available this
money so that we know the money is there and the
universities commence drawing from this money to address
the problem of decay in infrastructure, teaching and
research facilities? When that is done, our members will
suspend the strike."
The ASUU president dismissed insinuations in some quarters
that the union had been split. On suggestions in some
government quarters that ASUU was being influenced by
opposition parties, Dr. Fagge said "ASUU is a union of
cerebral intellectuals". He said the union is not influenced
by religion, or ethnicity, saying however that members of
the union are free to associate with any political party of
their choice.
UNICAL resumes today
The University of Calabar has announced that the university
resumes today for academic activities and directed all
students who did not finish their registration to do so
immediately.
But Chairman of Academic Staff Union of Universities, Unical
chapter, Dr. James Ekprinya has warned parents that the
university is still on strike and that any one that releases his
ward is doing that at his peril.
The university in a press release by the Deputy Registrar,
Academic division, Mr. Mike Monity stated that, "Normal
Academic/Allied activities will resume tomorrow, the
December 4, 2013 at the University of Calabar.
Monity in a release said the resumption was the decision
reached at an emergency meeting of senate held at the
senate chambers of the Institution.
It further stated that "the decision is in compliance with the
directive issued by the Minister of Education" and that
details of the revised university calendar would be disclosed
in due course.
It also advised students with pending activities like second
semester registration, Final year and Post Graduate
research projects to start immediately as the school works
out time table for lectures.
The ASUU chairman, Dr. Ekpirinya said that the congress
rose from its congress with "a strong resolve to continue the
strike until the agreements are implemented to the letter.
"We did not close school, we will not re-open it. We warn
parents that any one who decides to send his or her ward to
school is doing so at his or her peril."
Iyayi: UNIBEN ASUU vows to continue strike
University of Benin chapter of ASUU, yesterday, vowed to
continue the current strike action and admonished President
Goodluck Jonathan to embrace dialogue with the union
rather than threats.
Meanwhile, no sign of resumption of academic activities at
the university yesterday, despite the announcement by the
university authorities Monday, calling on students and
academic staff to resume duties.
When Vanguard visited the university, it was observed that
registers were opened as directed by the Federal
Government but none of the academic staff were sighted on
campus. Rather members of the ASUU and students were
observed preparing for the burial of the late former
President of the union, Professor Festus Iyayi which is
scheduled for this weekend.
Some of the students who spoke to Vanguard, condemned
the Federal Government's order that the ASUU should
resume duties or risk sack, just as they urged President
Goodluck Jonathan to sack the supervising Minister of
Education, Mr Nyesom Nwike, whom they described as a
"sycophant".
Addressing journalists yesterday, chairman of the UNIBEN
Chapter of the ASUU, Dr Anthony Monye-Emina who was
recently involved in the accident that led to the death of
ProfessorIyayi, advised parents to inform their children to
stay at home, insisting that the strike action will not be
called off until the Federal Government implements the
agreements.
According to him: "We want to advise parents not to send
their children back to campus in the event of any
announcement of resumption of classes by the university
administration in line with the supervisory Minister's
directive. The union has not called off the strike. The
President should continue on the path of honour to dialogue
with the union as this is the only way to find an immediate
and lasting solution to the crisis in the university system."
UNIJOS ASUU waits for directives
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), UNIJOS,
chapter said, yesterday, that classes would only resume in
the institution if directed by the national body.
The chapter Chairman, Dr David Jangdam told the News
Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Jos that the lecturers were
waiting for directives from the nation body before the five-
month strike could be called off.
"Classes will only resume if directed by the national body,"
he said. Jangdam told NAN that the decision of the national
body was final and binding on all local chapters. A
correspondent of NAN, who visited both the temporary and
permanent sites of the university in Jos reports that they
were deserted.
NAN further reports that the only visible presence was
those of security personnel at the various entry and exit
points. Jangdam also rejected suggestions that the lecturers
had not been fair to university education in the country.
"Nigerians should ask the leaders why the educational
sector is usually the least in their priorities," he said.
He, however, said that the union on Monday met with the
institutions Student Union Government (SUG), at their
instance to explain its position on the continued strike.
The SUG President, Mr Ajik Magaji told NAN that he would
not comment on the outcome of the meeting for now. He
described the strike by ASUU as a huge threat to national
security while blaming the Federal Government for reneging
on agreements.
Magaji lamented that the strike had caused the students a
whole session. "In UNIJOS, for instance, we lost a complete
session to strikes; some of our classmates in other schools
have graduated and we are still here," he said.
ASUU -UNAAB warns members against signing register
The University of Agriculture Abeokuta chapter of ASUU
has vowed not to be cowed by the sack threat by the
Federal Government, warning its members against signing
the register by the University.
Addressing newsmen, yesterday, at the COPLANT
auditorium of the University, the chairperson for ASUU -
UNAAB, Dr. Biodun Badmus said the Union would not
resume as directed by the Federal Government.
Badmus who was flanked by some past leaders of the union
in the university advised the Federal Government to
implement the agreement made with the Union for the sake
of the students in the country.
Speaking on the plans by the union against any member
that signs the register, Dr. Badmus said that the union
would not hesitate to discipline any member of the Union
who signs back to work register.
He said " Of course, even in the days of Jesus Christ there
are Judases, it is envisaged and the union has its practices
and code of conduct and there are laid down procedures to
thrash out such areas should anybody sign back to work".
While proffering solution to the problem, the Union leader
said "the ball is in the court of the Federal Government,
ASUU has not closed its doors to dialogue.
We appeal to the
Federal Government to do what is needful. "If any meeting
should be called, the National officers of ASUU are ready to
meet the government to resolve the issue on ground".
Source:vanguard
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