ASUU strike: We cannot implement 2009 agreement without adequate negotiations – FG By Wale Odunsion July 24, 2013 Tweet 110 The Federal Government on Tuesday, gave a hint that the ongoing strike by the university lecturers may not end soon, as it insists that it would not implement the 2009 agreement reachedwith the Academic Staff Union of Universities,ASUU, without amending thecontentious issues. The Minister of Labour and Productivity, Emeka Wogu, stated this at a news briefing, at the end of a meeting with members of the National Working Committee,NWC, of the Peoples Democratic Party,PDP, in Abuja. He said it was wrong for anyone to blame the Goodluck Jonathan’s administration for the ongoing strike, saying “the agreements was made before the present administration came to power, hence making it difficult to succumb to the letters of the agreement that is forcing it to seek renegotiation.” According to him, “We have held series of discussions with ASUU and those discussions are centred around the 2009 agreements which predate this administration, which equally has to be re-negotiated. “The terms of that agreement have created problems, not only for this administration, but the former administration of President Umaru Yar’Adua. Wogu said “What we are doing now willbe long standing if ASUU will give us the opportunity to continue with these negotiations that have been on-going. The Minister added that “We made an offer to ASUU, it was not acceptable to them. So the right thing for everybody todo is to come back to the negotiation table.” Already, the Nigeria Labour Congress,NLC, has threatened to join the ongoing ASUU strike. NLC President, Abdulwaheed Omar, who spoke at the opening ceremony of the ‘2013 Rain School’ in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital, called on the Federal Government to have meaningful dialogue with ASUU with a view to implementing the agreement. “The state governments should equally obey the law and pay minimum wage to teachers and the local government workers as well as the 27.5 percent teachers’ enhanced salaries, he added, warning that “Should this strike persist, workers of Nigeria will not hesitate to join them in solidarity,” he stressed. Meanwhile, Joint Action Front,JAF,on Tuesday, enjoined Nigerians to support to save public education in the country.
Posted on: Wed, 24 Jul 2013 14:15:08 +0000
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