FG to shift December 4 ASUU deadline •Jonathan accuses union of subversive action Indications have emerged on the possibility of the Federal Government shifting the December 4 resumption order, which it issued to the striking universities lecturers under the aegis of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). The president gave this hint, at the weekend, during the caucus meeting of the Bayelsa State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), held at the Government House, Yenagoa, while responding to the plea of former state governor, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha that the Federal Government reconsider the December 4 ultimatum because it coincided with the burial programme of the late former president of the union, Dr Festus Iyayi. Iyayi, who lost his life along Lokoja-Abuja road, while heading for the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of ASUU in Kano, will be buried on December 7, but the programme will start on December 4, a reason which Alamieyeseigha said the government should consider to shift the ultimatum so it will not be seen as insensitive. “As you rightly noted, so that we will not be perceived to be insensitive, we will consult on the deadline,” the president responded to the former governor’s plea. The Supervising Minister of Education, Mr Nyesom Wike had, last Thursday, after a meeting with vice chancellors of Nigerian universities, directed the striking lecturers to resume work latest by December 4 or face being sacked. But the union leaders have said that the ultimatum issued by Wike would not be heeded. However, in a fresh twist to the over four-month-old industrial action, the president has stated that the Federal Government did not actually give any ultimatum to ASUU, saying: “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.” The president also expressed indignation for the actions of the union, describing the continued strike as needless and subversive. “What ASUU is doing is no longer trade dispute but subversive action. What ASUU is doing is no longer trade union.” President Jonathan noted that dialogue between the Federal Government and ASUU, which he presided over was the longest he had ever participated in. Jonathan said: “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 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. “What was expected having met with the highest authority in the land for long hours was for ASUU to immediately issue a 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 state the reason why. “But despite the fact that I had the longest meeting with ASUU in my political history, we did not start that meeting until around 2pm and the meeting ended the next day in the early hours of the morning. 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? Our children have been at home for over four months. Meanwhile, the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and the Enugu State University of Technology have said their academic activities would resume tomorrow, with the registrars of both institutions, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), directing students to return to campuses.
Posted on: Sun, 01 Dec 2013 14:12:58 +0000
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