ASUU STRIKE UPDATE: The meeting started at about 2:40 p.m. at the presidential villa. At the beginning, 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 ASUU President Dr. Nasir Isa Faggae, by “amen.” At 6:15 p.m. the meeting was temporarily halted so both sides could take a break to consult with its teams. Jonathan and members of his team retired to one of the ante-rooms inside the First Lady’s Conference Hall, while union leaders met inside a white bus parked outside. The two sides came back together and were still meeting as of 9:40 p.m. 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. PLEASE NOTE: the currency is in naira # not $.
Posted on: Tue, 05 Nov 2013 20:54:28 +0000
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