Its midweek and 52 days into the ASUU Strike. This is the latest in the news on FG vs ASUU: ASUU Strike: Jonathan Directs Immediate Action To End ASUU Strike. President Jonathan on Tuesday directed the two Federal Govt committees negotiating the ASUU requests, to take immediate measures at ending the on-going strike. Gov. Gabriel Suswam made this known after a closed-door meeting of the two committees and other stakeholders with President Jonathan at the State House in Abuja. Suswam said, 'The President has instructed us, as to what to do, and he has shown a lot of commitments to flagging off projects worth about N100 billion in all the universities in the country, about 61 of them. He wants the strike called off soonest.' 'The federal govt will also be meeting with the Universities Councils and Vice Chancellors of our universities within the week towards updating them on some of the decisions taken,’’ he said. Suswam said about N100 billion had been approved by Federal Govt to his committee to address infrastructure deficit in all the Universities. 'The president has agreed that in the first week of September he will be able to flag-off the projects. 'You also know that the procurement process will have to be followed and these projects include hostels in our universities, classrooms and theatres, libraries and laboratories among others. 'Some are renovation, some are new, and all the 61 universities are going to benefit from one project or another. 'The governor said that the Earned Allowance Committee being headed by the SGF, where there were contentious issues, would be addressed. 'As you must have heard, federal govt made an offer of N30 billion to assist the various Councils of our universities to be able to pay the earned allowances,’’ he said. The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) recalls ASUU had rejected the offer of the N30 billion by government and stood on its N87 billion demand to settle the earned allowances. Asked whether govt would be willing to shift ground on the ASUU insistence, Suswam said negotiation was still on-going, 'The federal govt has opted to also meet with the Councils and Managements of the Universities, because Earned Allowance is something that can be certified by the management and councils of the universities.' In another report from late yesterday, ASUU: Strike To Continue As ASUU Rejects FG Offer. The meeting between ASUU and Federal Govt on Monday was deadlocked. ASUU leadership said government was trying to renegotiate a 2009 agreement both parties have already agreed upon. ASUU president Nasir Fagge told reporters that the objective of the current strike is to get govt to “implement the 2009 ASUU/FGN and particularly to implement the provisions of the M.O.U. we reached with the government in 2012.” He said the outcome of Monday’s meeting shows that not much has been achieved because work has not yet commenced on the aspects of the agreement on needs assessments which was referred to the Ministry of Education. Speaking on the N87 billion “earned allowance” which his union is demanding he said that “since government made it clear that it doesn’t have the money to implement that…that government is going to consult the universities’ governing councils…if there is any need for subsequent meeting, we will do that.” However, the government’s side said release of the N400 billion earmarked for infrastructure in the universities will start by September 1, and that only N30 billion for earned allowances will be provided to the lecturers. Responding to the offer of N30 billion, ASUU reiterated its stance of not renegotiating but only demanding an implementation of the 2009 agreement. “I think it is important to clarify that at this point we are not making a demand; there was an agreement with govt, and even that aspect that govt is talking about, the earned entitlement of staff of the universities, that includes the technical staff, members of the senior staff association and members of the non academic staff… what the union is talking about is the implementation of 2009 agreement not the renegotiation of the agreement,” Fagge said. Both sides agreed to consult further after the meeting. Fagge expressed hope that govt will do the right thing saying, “we will wait to hear from govt after the consultation with councils. Whatever they place on the table, we will look at it. But for now, we will also go back and report to our principals on the development.” No date was agreed for a future meeting. The strike is still on but will end soon. The latest it can last now is just after 1st September. NESA For Economists will continue to keep you informed. Like her facebook page for more. Also join the NESA For Economics facebook group and follow nesa4economics on twitter. Remember to register for the NESA National Conference, and then NESA ABSU Award Night/ Final Year Send Forth/ Freshers Welcome Party tomorrow. For info email nesa4economics@gmail or call 08036896839.
Posted on: Wed, 21 Aug 2013 17:50:04 +0000
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