Strike: ASUU members to decide on FG’s fresh offer

After 13 hours of negotiations, the President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) Dr. Nasir Isa Fagge, on Monday was not forthcoming with the new Federal Government’s offer as he insisted that its members have the final say on the issue.
Speaking with State House correspondents after the meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan at First Lady’s Conference Room in the Presidential Villa, he said the meeting rubbed minds on how to tackle the problems confronting university education system in the country.
He said: “Well we had lengthy meeting with Mr. President, rubbing minds on how best to address the problem of university education in this country.
“And we now have a message from Mr. President which 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. It is not for you. It is for our members.”
If impressed with the message, he said: “Don’t put words into my mouth. Our members will determine that.”
Also speaking with journalists at the end of the meeting, the Minister of Labour Emeka Wogu, said: “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. And the message is full of high expectations and hope.”
On whether the strike will be called off, he said: “That is why the message is full of high expectations and hope. So our prayer is that they come back with positive outcome. They might not even come back to meet us, they might take decisions there that will meet your expectations.”
“Nigerians should be patient for ASUU to finish their meetings and come out with a message to Nigerians.”
On whether the Federal Government made a fresh offer, Wogu said: “Well, the offer we made are the offer they are taking in line with the 2009 agreement. The issues that led to the strike are issues contained in the 2009 agreement and we did not go beyond the agreement.”
But before the meeting started on Monday afternoon, President Jonathan had assured the lecturers that the protracted over four months’ old strike would be resolved at the meeting.
Jonathan, who took charge of the Federal Government’s negotiations with the lecturers, while exchanging pleasantries with the team led by ASUU President, said: “My president all the problems will be over today, all our children must go back to school.”
Also greeting the NLC President, Comrade Abdulwahab Omar, at the beginning of the meeting, President Jonathan said: “My president with you around today, there will be no problem, our agreement is signed, sealed and delivered.”
On the Federal Government team are – Vice President Namadi Sambo; Minister of Labour, Chief Emeka Wogu; Supervising Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike; Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen. Anyim Pius Anyim; Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, Prof Julius Okogie and the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.


Source: The Nation