Asuu Stikrs update:Finally! Fg Signs Agreement With Asuu, Versities to Open Soon

After five months and 10 days that the public universities have been on strike, the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities on Wednesday finally signed a fresh  agreement.

The fresh pact is the review of the Federal Government/ASUU 2012 Memorandum of Understanding reached on the 2009 agreement.

Both parties, however, refused to reveal the details of the agreement to journalists who witnessed the signing of the agreement.

The meeting was almost boycotted by the union until the intervention of stakeholders.

ASUU had on Tuesday vowed not to attend the meeting because there was no commitment and proper invitation from the government.

The union had demanded for proof of the payment of the N200bn into a Central Bank of Nigeria account for public universities, non-victimisation clause, review of the agreement in 2014 and that a representative of government, preferably the Attorney-General of the Federation to sign the agreement as conditions to call off the strike which began on July 1.

Our correspondent, however, gathered that the union got three of its demands while it relinquished one to the government.

The Federal Government agreed to present evidence of payment, implement the non-victimisation clause and that the agreement was open to re-negotiation in 2014.

But it was the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, MacJohn Nwaobiala, who signed the agreement on behalf of the government contrary to the demand of the union.

ASUU President, Dr. Nasir Faggae, signed on behalf of the union while the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Abdulwaheed Omar, signed as a witness to the agreement.

The Supervising Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike, who presided over the meeting, said there was “no victor no vanquished” in the dispute.

He said the Federal Government was alive to its responsibility to restore normalcy to the university system.

Wike argued that government only directed the vice-chancellors of federal universities to immediately reopen the universities for academic activities pending when other minor discrepancies would be sorted out.

“Today, I am very pleased to announce that all contending issues between ASUU and the Federal Government have been resolved to the satisfaction of the parties.

“Let me emphasise that we recognise and appreciate ASUU’s patriotic role and commitment towards ensuring that our universities are well-funded, resourced and run like their counterparts in other parts of the world.

“Thus, we are all partners in progress and there is no victor; no  vanquished in the struggle of this nature for as long as our goals remain noble, not actuated by parochial interests, but targeted at moving our nation forward.”

The minister on behalf of President Goodluck Jonathan thanked Nigerians, the National Assembly, the labour unions, traditional rulers, parents and students for showing understanding.

In his response, Faggae commended the President for his intervention in the dispute.

He, however, stressed that the strike could not have lingered if government had agreed to document the agreement reached with the union.

“If what we have agreed with Mr. President at that 13-hour meeting had been judiciously documented and our members were convinced that it was going to be implemented, we wouldn’t have waited this while because we also have a lot of respect for the office of Mr. President and that of the Vice-President.

“But you see our members are intellectuals, I keep saying this. It is simply because  over the years particularly since the signing of the 2009 agreement we have been pursuing government to get that agreement implemented.

“We rarely succeeded in getting a portion of that agreement implemented by the government. Here we are, we have gone for about four years but it is never too late to turn a new page  and make sure we do what is right with our universities.”

Faggae said the country must place high premium on education if it hoped to catch up with developed world.

Faggae who said the decision to call-off the strike lied with the National Executive Council of the union, promised that the message would be delivered within one week for a final decision on the strike.

“We would now take this document to our members and we are confident that our members will do the appropriate thing.

“It was a sacrifice that was worth taking to ensure that we do what is right for our country,” he added.

In an interview, Faggae said ASUU would make its position known to government “within one week.”

Credit: PUNCH.

Asuu Strike update: Asuu Task force Disrupt Lectures in uniben, Clashed With police ( photos)

There was pandemonium at the University of Benin today Monday December 9th as members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, (ASUU) UNIBEN chapter disrupted an ongoing lecture at the Faculty of Law at the university.

Some UNIBEN lecturers resumed last week following the Federal Government’s directive to resume work and as one lecturer gathered his students to begin his class, The Union members stormed the lecture room and stopped it.

The Vice Chancellor of the University was forced to call the police to intervene but the unrelenting ASUU task force members clashed with them, putting an end to all on-going lectures at the University. The strike continues.

Asuu Strike Update: Gbege! As Parents Threatens To Embark On Hunger Strike If

Parents of university students in the country under the aegis of the National Association of Parent Teacher Association, South West chapter have threatened to embark on hunger strike should the Federal Government and Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) fail to reconcile their differences soonest.

The Chairman of the association, Chief John Oluribigbe, who spoke with newsmen in Osogbo after the inauguration of new executives of the state chapter of the Parent Teacher Association (PTA), declared that the face off between ASUU and the Federal Government was embarrassing to the nation.

He said: “The over two million parents across the 36 states of the Federal Republic of Nigeria will embark on a national hunger strike if this situation continues,” adding that the Federal Government should accede to ASUU’s demands in the interest of the down trodden 

Asuu Strike Update: List Of Schools To Pull Out Of Strike And Questions Arising

Now that the academic staff unio of nigerian universities is adamant on the the strike, some schools have decided to pull out of the ongoing strike , one of such schools is uniben while others are UNN, UNIZIK, FUTO, IBBU, EBSU, ESUT, UNIPORT and OAU. As it is now, is asuu winning the battle or loosing and as for the schools resumption, will the academic staffs resume with them ? Considering he fact that the school management are only dancing to the federal government tune......

Asuu Strike Latest: Uniben Joins Schools To Pull Out Of Strike

University of Benin (UNIBEN), Edo State has pulled out of the ongoing ASUU Strike and academic calendar modified. UNIBEN is one of many Universities that have pulled out of ASUU Strike. Click on the name of the following schools to see how and when they are pulling of ASUU Strike .

According to an announcement on the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), the management of UNIBEN has instructed students to resume on 7th December, 2013 for the conclusion of lectures for the session.

A new academic calendar for the 2012/2013 academic session has already been pasted in the school.

Examinations for the session has been scheduled to commence on 6th January 2014.

Students of UNIBEN are advised to adhere to this schedule though its not yet sure if the lecturers will comply with this order. See below for the proposed academic calendar

Credit: Ngscholars

Asuu Stike Latest: OAU Orders Student To Resume, Announced December 8 Resumption Date

The management of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife has directed its students to resume on Sunday.

A statement by the Public Relations Officer of OAU, Mr. Biodun Olarewaju on Wednesday said, “The authorities of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, have announced Sunday, December 8, as the resumption date  for the 2012/ 2013 rain semester.

“Accordingly, students of the university are expected to come into residence on the above date as lectures will commence immediately.”

Asuu Strike Latest: So Far, So Bad

July 1, 2013: ASUU began a nationwide strike over alleged Federal Government’s refusal to implement the agreement between it and the union over unpaid entitlements.
August 6: The Federal Government team led by Benue State Governor, Dr. Gabriel Suswam had a failed meeting with ASUU officials at the office of the SGF as the teachers insisted on the implementation of the 2009 ASUU/FGN agreement.
August 18: Meeting between striking university lecturers and the Federal Government ended without a resolution of the crisis.
August 20: Jonathan met with the Federal Government’s officials engaged in the negotiation with ASUU at the Presidential Villa, decided to lead another negotiation with the leadership of the union.
August 20: FG approves N400 billion for infrastructural development in Nigerian universities.
Aug 20: ASUU threatened to pull out from the Presidential Committee on the Implementation of the Committee of Needs Assessment of Nigeria public Universities, CNANU.
August 23: The  Federal Government reached agreement with ASUU to deploy N100 billion for the provision of infrastructure on campuses of 61 universities covered in the needs assessment .
August 28: National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) issued a one-week ultimatum to the Federal Government and the union’s leadership to resolve their differences or face serious consequences.
October 24: Senate mandated its leadership to wade into ASUU strike by meeting the Federal Government and the ASUU executives
November 4: Senate President, Senator David Mark met with the leadership of ASUU, but no resolution to end strike.
November 5: President Goodluck Jonathan in 13-hour  marathon meeting with the leadership of ASUU in conjunction with representatives of the NLC and TUC.
November 12: Prof. Festus Iyayi, former ASUU President died on his way for ASUU meeting in Kano.
November 23:  ASUU NEC members agreed that before calling off its strike government should pay the four-month salary arrears being owed varsity lecturers.
November 26: Management of Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki resolved to reopen the school after ASUU fails to call off strike.
November 26: Committee of Pro-Chancellors of Federal Universities  called for the immediate re-opening of all shut down universities across the country.
November 28: Federal Government gives ASUU ultimatum to call off strike in one week or face expulsion.

Credit: Vanguard

Asuu Strike Update: FG Orders Asuu Back To Work, Gives One Week Ultimatum

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has been given one week ultimatum to call off the ongoing strike.
The directive was given today, in Abuja by the acting Minister of Education, Mr. Nyesom Wike while speaking with journalists.
The union has been on strike since July 1 over the non Implementation of a 2009 agreement with the federal government.

According to reports, the lecturers at their NEC meeting last week in Kano, demanded that government should pay the four-month salary arrears being owed varsity lecturers while there should be immediate implementation of the N1.2tn offerred by the goverment to public varsities, starting with the release of N100bn this year, before the strike can be called off.
A demand the acting Minister Wike had described as ,”outrageous.”
Meantime, ASUU had said it would meet with President Jonathan on the decisions reached at its NEC meeting before any announcement will be made concerning the 5months old strike.