"ASUU " NEWS ,LATEST ASUU STORY.

ESUT,UNI-ABUJA AND UNN RESUMES SCHOOL TODAY,AMIDST ASUU STRIKE.

   

Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike that has lasted months may have suffered a setback as two universities–the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and Enugu State University of Science and Technology–said they would resume classes on Dec. 2. It comes as President Goodluck Jonathan clarified the government’s stance on the matter.
The move comes around a day after the Nigerian federal government threatened to remove lecturers if they did not resume working on Dec. 4. The ASUU said the threat was laughable, and it wouldn’t accomplish much.
But there appear to be cracks in the strike, reported This Day Live, which said the two schools issued statements over the weekend about resuming class on Monday.
The ASUU went on strike in July after it said the government failed to implement a 2009 agreement that would improve school facilities and upgrade the welfare of teachers. There have been periodic meetings and talks between the ASUU’s leadership and the federal government–including with President Goodluck Jonathan himself–but to no avail.
President Jonathan clarified the government’s recent comments about sacking teachers.
“We didn’t give them ultimatum; it was the Committee of Vice Chancellors that took that decision. The Supervising Minister of Education only passed on the decision,” he said, according to the Osun Defender.
Jonathan added that the ASUU strike is not a trade dispute any more, but a subversive action that undermines the government.
“What ASUU is doing is no longer trade Union,” he said, according to the Daily Post. “I have intervened in other labor issues before now. Once I invite them, they respond and after the meeting, they take decision and call off the strike.”
He added that the ASUU strike is the longest dialogue he’s been involved with as president.
“I have intervened in other labor issues before now. Once I invite them, they respond and after the meeting they take decision and call off the strike. At times, we don’t even give them a long notice unlike in the case of ASUU that were given four-day notice before the meeting. As you are meeting to resolve trade disputes, you expect the trade unions to get their officials ready,” he said, according to the Nigerian Tribune.
The strike has left hundreds of thousands of students across the country essentially in limbo. And without classes for several months, it is essentially a lost semester.
ASUU leaders weren’t pleased with the government’s Dec. 4 ultimatum.
Oghenekaro Ogbinaka, who heads the University of Lagos’ branch of the ASUU, told the Premium Times that threats won’t work.
“Our reaction is simple. Let us just wait for the seven days to come around,” he said. “What government has just done shows that they were not committed in the offer they made with the union that had the Trade Union Congress President and the Minister of Labour in attendance.”

GOOGLUCK JONATHAN AND "ASUU"

Goodluck Jonathan has said his government did not give the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, an ultimatum to resume work or be sacked. Fielding questions from newsmen at the expanded caucus meeting of the Bayelsa State Peoples Democratic Party held at Government House, Yenagoa, the President said, the Supervising Minister of Education only passed on the decision of the Committee of Vice Chancellors. “We didn’t give them ultimatum; it was the Committee of Vice Chancellors that took that decision. The Supervising Minister of Education only passed on the decision. Jonathan also said the strike embarked upon by the ASUU; was no longer a trade dispute , but a subversive action.

He said, “What ASUU is doing is no longer trade union. I have intervened in other labour issues before now, once I invite them they respond and after the meeting they take decision and call off the strike. “At times we don’t even give them a long notice,unlike, in the case of ASUU that was given four days notice before the meeting. As you are meeting to resolve trade disputes, you expect the trade unions to get their officials ready. “What was expected having met with the highest authorities in the land for long hours, was for ASUU to immediately issue statement within 12 or latest 24 hours , to state their position whether they were accepting government’s offer or not. And if they are not accepting they should state the reason for that.” “But despite the fact that I had the longest meeting with ASUU in my political history, we did not start that meeting until around 2:00pm and the meeting ended the next day in the early hours.As far as the government of Nigeria was concerned, all the critical people that should be in a meeting were there, so what else do they want? “After that they didn’t meet until one week, despite the fact that you met with the highest authority. It was unfortunate one of them, Prof. Iyayi died. “The way ASUU has conducted the matter shows they are extreme and when Iyayi died, they now said the strike was now indefinite, our children have been at home for over five months.

ASUU UPDATE.

"ASUU" TO FG;1 WEEK ULTIMATUM WONT WORK. 

     

At a time Nigerian students earnestly await the announcement of a truce between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities regarding the ongoing strike, the former has in its usual manner of show of unnecessary force, issued a one-week ultimatum to the striking lecturers to call off their action.
This writer predicted this latest development hours after President Goodluck Jonathan announced the rejig of the federal cabinet on Wednesday, September 11, 2013. My friends and I discussed the matter. During our chat, I averred that now that Nyesom Wike, ‘strongman’ of Ikwerre (and by large Rivers State) is now in charge of the Education Ministry, more wahala had landed.
There is no gainsaying that the Thursday morning matching order to ASUU might have been sponsored by the Minister. But such pronouncement is not what we wish for; indeed, it falls short of the desire and expectations of stakeholders, including parents, teachers, and even food sellers as well as other business owners on campuses.
It is sad that negotiations between both parties take one step forward and two or more backward. The dilly-dally started with Anyim Pius Anyim-led committee on negotiations with ASUU. When that failed to produce any result, government in a not well-thought out strategy, delegated Gabriel Suswam, the Governor of a Federating State (Benue) to lead talks with a body comprising thousands of lectures across the country
In a chat with a lecturer in a state-owned varsity, he stated that “Asking a governor, whose educational qualification is still in doubt, to chair the Needs Assessment Implementation Committee for Nigerian Universities, is not the way to go. Firstly, a high-powered FG official should have been called in. Secondly, I don’t think he has the capacity, charisma and zeal to do the job. Mark my words, Suswam will fail.” As prophesied, he failed.
Then we had the Namadi Sambo-led committee, which according to ASUU brought nothing new to the table. Only one meeting with the Vice President was enough turn-off for the union.
Finally, the president deemed it appropriate to wade into the FOUR months impasse. Too late the day if you ask me; a leader needs not wait that long to personally take charge of such burning national issue. After the marathon meeting, Mr. Jonathan presided, it was agreed that N220,000,000,000 would be injected into the universities system for a period of five years, i.e, the sum of N1.1trillion. A fair deal no doubt. In fact, most citizens say the fund if well utilized was enough to turn around the system. The Union agreed and requested the opening of an account with the Central Bank of Nigeria where the money will be kept and released at specified dates.
But rather than build on this, government has gone ahead to issue (in my view) an empty threat of one week ultimatum. It has also impressed on Vice-Chancellors to declare the jobs of the lecturers vacant if they do not return to classrooms by Wednesday, December 4 2013.
Let me add that I have been studying the body language of President Jonathan on this matter and below are some pointers which puts a bold question mark on his seriousness in resolving the deadlock.
Recall that at the beginning of the strike in July, he posited, directly or indirectly, that ASUU cannot hold him to ransom because the 2009 pact does not bear his signature. The comment is goof in its entirety because he was part of the government that reached the deal. Mr. Jonathan wants the North to support him in his quest to return to Aso Rock in 2015, yet he feels comfortable to wave off some resolutions and policies of their late son, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. He shoots himself in the foot without knowing, whereas he has advisers and strategists on his payroll.
Recall that he had directly or indirectly, asserted that the impasse is being deliberately prolonged and influenced by Northerners and leaders of opposition party. This doesn’t fit to be counted as a genuine reason for his administration’s failure to convince the lecturers to resume.
Recall also that upon his return from London to Abuja from the 15th Meeting of the Honorary International Investors Council, he only commented on his trip, his health issue, the purchase of bulletpoof cars for Aviation Minister, Stella Oduah and of course, his meeting with the seven aggrieved Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
“I don’t think I will be able to hold any meeting, you know six hours flight is quite a distance and also following from my health challenges. I don’t know how soon, but we will be able to meet within the week,” he said.
“Politics is about discussion, we belong to the same political party, even people from different political parties engage in political discussion and political discussion is a continuous process, even during election, people discuss. So, we will continue to discuss.”
So much for politics and less for education; that is the state we have found ourselves. Our leader gives a time frame to meet with governors, keeps mum on a matter that involves those who impact knowledge on tomorrow’s leaders. What a shame!
ASUU Chairman, Nasir Isa Fagge and his team do not appear like the kind of persons that develop cold feet at the mention of deadlines. While I agree that the union should resume and continue negotiations, Nigerians must not forget that successive administrations made several promises and commitments, but failed to implement. We need to understand the plight of the lecturers; they are fighting a just course. Needless to say that sending our wards to tertiary institutions abroad will continue to harm our image and deplete wealth that should remain here and boost our economy.
The sooner the Federal Government and its officials realize that forceful tactics no longer work in resolving civil disputes, the better for the nation. The FG should be informed that it makes more sense to drag ASUU to court, instead of the ill-advised ultimatum. It has never worked, this case won’t be an exception.