ASUU STRIKE: FG, ASUU To Meet Again Next Week

Academic Staff Union of Universities met across
the country on Thursday to consider the offer by
the Federal Government. The ASUU President, Dr. Nasir Faggae after a
meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan which
ended in the early hours of Tuesday had told
reporters that the union would take back an
undisclosed message to their members. The PUNCH gathered that the striking public
universities lecturers met in the nine zones of
ASUU with branch chairmen to discuss the
outcome of the meeting with the President.

 The meetings presided over by zonal coordinators
afforded them (zonal coordinators) the
opportunity to brief the branch chairmen about
the offer made by the Federal Government to
revamp the public universities across the country. The Federal Government had at the last Tuesday
marathon meeting agreed to inject N1.1tn into
the universities over the next five years. The
money, the Federal Government promised, would
be released at the rate of N220bn annually
starting from 2014. The Ibadan zone of ASUU held its meeting at the
Federal University Abeokuta on Thursday while
that of the North Central Zone took place at the
Federal University, Lokoja, Kogi State. Sources at both meetings said that though the
union officials were not happy that the N400bn
per year they asked for was not granted, they were
however happy at the sincerity of purpose
displayed by President Jonathan. Though they expressed varied opinion about the
offer, they were unanimous in commending
Jonathan for being the first Nigerian leader to
meet with the union. When contacted, the Coordinator of the North
Central Zone, Dr. Suleiman Mohammad declined
comments on the meeting. Mohammed, who said he was attending to some
pressing issues, said only the ASUU President
could speak on the issue. But feelers across the zones, however, suggested
that the lecturers might have accepted the offer of
the government. Although branch chairmen still have to call
congresses, it was gathered that the union may
have made up its mind to call off the strike after
meeting with the Federal Government again next
week. A top official of the union said "We are happy with
the humility shown by Jonathan to personally
meet with us. This is the first time a sitting
President will meet with the union to thrash out
issues. Members were impressed with him and
the strong commitment that he displayed. But some expressed fear that the new deal could go
the way of past agreements that were not
honoured.