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Tag: ASUU

  • ASUU dares FG, insists on strike

    Despite the Federal Government’s directive that striking lecturers should return to classroom on December 4, the Academic Staff Union of Universities on Monday made it clear that the strike would continue.

    The union described December 4 deadline given by the government as an “ordinary threat.”

    ASUU President, Nasir Fagge, who officially briefed journalists in Abuja on the response of the union after FG’s ultimatum said“ the strike will end when government implements the agreement as we agreed with President Goodluck Jonathan.”

    “He gave us assurance that in 2014 the agreement will not be renegotiated just as he had promised us when we interacted with him in that 13-hour duration. We thank Mr. President for his patience but let us also do what is right.”

    ASUU requested in its meeting with President Jonathan, that he should facilitate the resolution of the issues as a way of concretizing their understanding of the agreed position.

    The agreed positions, Fagge said are that the N200 billion agreed upon as 2013 revitalisation fund for public universities shall be deposited with Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and disbursed to the benefitting universities within two weeks; that the renegotiation of the 2009 agreement in 2014 be included in the final document as agreed at the discussion with Jonathan; that a non –victimisation clause which is normally captured in all interactions of this nature be included in the final document and that a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) shall be validly endorsed, signed by a representative of government, preferably the Attorney General of the Federation and a representative of ASUU, with the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) as a witness.

    To further justify ASUU’s request to Jonathan, Faggesaid: “Upon any sincere stretch of interpretation, it would be unreasonable to suggest that this is a new demand. ASUU National Executive Council’s position that the funds for revitalisation due to universities in 2013 should be released within the first two weeks of December 2013 is not a new demand. It is a sensible suggestion to guard against implementation failure.

    “On the renegotiation of the agreement in 2014, there was an agreement at the interaction with the President of Nigeria that the renegotiation of the ASUU/FG agreement of 2009 shall be undertaken in 2014.”

     

  • ASUU: FUT Minna calls off govt bluff

    …insists on the strike

    Members of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) of the Federal University of Technology (FUT) Minna yesterday called off the bluff of federal government vowing not to suspend the five month old strike or sign the register opened for them by the institution.

    The University authority had Monday opened a register for academic staff of the institution to sign in the office of the Registrar in compliant with the federal government directive.

    The management in a statement issued on Monday said, “Following the directive by the Supervising Minister of Education, Barrister Ezenwo Nyesom Wike with the Vice Chancellors of Federal Universities on Friday, November 29, 2013 and his directive that universities should resume on or before Wednesday, December 4, 2013, the university has opened a register in the Office of the Registrar for all Academic staff to sign in their names on resumption of duty with effect from Monday, December 2, 2013”.

    But the ASUU congress of the institution yesterday unanimously resolved not to have anything to do with the register opened by the institution until the federal government implement the 2009 agreement it had with the union.

    Addressing newsmen after the congress, the branch Chairman, Dr. Abdulfatai Jimoh said, “FUT Minna branch of ASUU today Monday December 2013 at the end of our congress resolved that we are 100 per cent in support of the decision of ASUU NEC and in support of the four conditions as contented in the letter sent by NEC to the President Goodluck Jonathan. We resolved not to suspend strike unless the conditions are met”.

    He said the threat of mass sack by the federal government was laughable stressing that the union was not making any new demand outside the 2009 agreement as government claimed.

    “It is shocking that a democratic government would issue threats of mass sack like this. It is laughable, the congress is not worried or bothered about the threat. The Minister is not our employer so he cannot sack us.

    “There are procedure for engaging and disengaging staff in the university. The Minister needs to be enlightened on the manner universities are run”, Jimoh said.

    The ASUU boss then appealed to parents and students to bear with the union, maintaining that the union was sincere in its struggle for the revitalisation of the education and that once they receive the reply to their letter sent to President Jonathan, they would act on it immediately.

    Jimoh then called on the federal government to take the part of honour by meeting its obligation as contained in the 2009 agreement, as according to him, “ASUU has done its bit”.

    Visit to the two campuses of the institution by our correspondent revealed that lecture halls, studios, laboratories and workshops were still under lock and keys. It was also gathered that no academic staff has signed the register opened as at the close of work yesterday.

    The acting Registrar of the institution, Malam Garba Abdullahi in a telephone interview, confirmed opening register but said it was too early to assess the level of compliance by the striking lecturers.

  • Wike, embarrassment to Jonathan – ASUU

    Wike, embarrassment to Jonathan – ASUU

    The Niger Delta University (NDU) chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has flayed the acting Minister of State for Education, Mr. Nyesom Wike, describing him as an embarrassment to President Goodluck Jonathan.

    NDU is the Bayelsa State-owned university located in Wilberforce Island, Amasoma, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state.

    The aggrieved lecturers said they were not rattled by Wike’s ultimatum, directing them to resume their academic functions or be sacked.

    Investigations revealed that none of the lecturers reported to duty in the university campus.

    But the university over the weekend had gone to radio stations to announce the resumption of academic activities.

    A copy of the announcement which was signed by the Registrar of the university, Mr. Tonbra Morris-Odubo, claimed that the institution had opened for academic activities since October 14.

    The registrar said: “Deans, directors and heads of departments should ensure that normal academic activities are restored in their respective faculties and departments.”

    It was, however, found that there was nothing on ground to show that lecturers had agreed to return to classrooms.

    The entire campus appeared deserted apart from handful of non-academic workers who were sighted in some departments especially the administrative block.

    Perhaps based on non-availability of lecturers, students were nowhere around the campus. Most departments and faculties were shut.

    Hostels were closed and all the restaurants, bars and pubs on campus were not open for business.

     

     

  • Return to classes, Mark pleads with ASUU

    Senate President, David Mark, has pleaded with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to reconsider their position and return to classes to salvage the already battered education sector from further deterioration.

    Mark in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Paul Mumeh, in Abuja renewed the appeal when he commissioned a lecture theatre for the School of Management Sciences at the  Kano State Polytechnic, built and donated by Senator Kabiru Gaya.

    He urged the Federal Government not to use the sledge hammer on ASUU on account of the lingering strike.

    Mark said: “We have reached a situation where hard line positions would worsen the situation. My plea to ASUU is to resume classes while negotiation continues.

    “The strike has done enough damage to our universities. They have also made their point and I think we should reason together and end this matter.

    ” Nobody, including the University teachers themselves can be said to be enjoying this crisis. It is a huge cost on government, parents, the management, staff and students of the universities.  Nigerians agree that the situation
    is bad.

    “ASUU over the years has enjoyed the sympathy of Nigerians. I am afraid if they remain adamant on this, they would lose the sympathy and support of the people.”

    He reiterated the inevitability of quality and functional education for the survival of any nation saying that every thing needed to be done should not be compromised in other to save our education sector.

    He praised Senator Gaya for building and donating the lecture theatre to the Polytechnic named: “Senator David Mark lecture theatre”.

    Mark  also commissioned solar powered boreholes donated by Gaya to the  Nigerian Army’s 3 Brigade Command , Bukavu Barracks , Kano; State Police Command,  Bompai , Kano, Nigerian Prisons  formation and Kano Golf Club.

    Gaya had said the projects were part of his commitments towards giving back to the society in positive ways and ultimately addressing the water supply deficiency faced by the people.

  • ASUU out to undermine Presidency- Okupe

    Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe has accused the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) of attempting to undermine and subvert  the Presidency.
    Okupe who made the allegation at a press briefing on Sunday in Abuja described the leadership of the union  as rigid and insensitive.
    Okupe said: “The negative disposition of the ASUU leadership is unarguably a pre-conceived and calculated treacherous plot pointedly intended to undermine the Presidency and subvert the Federal Government of Nigeria.
    “This is clearly a hallmark of a leadership that is determined to employ subterfuge in an attempt to hold government, students and their parents and other stakeholders to ransom in a reckless and irresponsible display of insensitivity, lawlessness and absolute lack of patriotism and even the fear of God.
    “Unfortunately, all this is perpetuated using unsuspecting but otherwise loyal, patriotic and responsible members of ASUU whose families are also sad victims of this reprehensible and callous attitude of their leadership.
    “From all indications therefore and other information available to government, it has become obvious that this is no longer an altruistic strike borne out of good intentions and aimed at improving the welfare of students and staff of the universities and the standard of our educational institutions.
    “Rather, it is an evil programme motivated by selfish political interests and motivations within the polity”.
    The government lamented what it described as ASUU’s intransigence despite the various concessions made to the lecturers, stressing that the teachers have pushed the government to the wall.
    “Given the fact that government had reached agreement with ASUU to make available N100 billion for the provision of infrastructure on campuses of 61 universities covered in the needs assessment of universities, with a further commitment of another N200 billion over the next two years, and N40 billion of the N90 billion Earned Allowances demanded by the lecturers one would have expected them to reconsider their stand.
    “This was despite the fact that the ASUU leadership in the meeting with President Jonathan failed curiously to articulate the basis of the calculation of the demanded N90 billion earned allowance, which has been on the table since 2009.
    “It becomes crystal clear therefore that the Federal Government has shown good faith and commendable commitment by acceding to most of the demands of ASUU.
    “This ordinarily ought to be a thing of pride and an outstanding achievement to the ASUU having been able to secure these unprecedented   concessions as a  direct benefit of the prolonged and painful five month strike.
    “Given this dangerous and invidious tendency no right thinking government sworn to protect the welfare of its citizens will fold its arms and watch the situation deteriorate any further.
    “History has shown that when governments worldwide are pushed to the wall, they take whatever lawful steps that are necessary to protect the interests of its people and the state over which they govern.
    “This is why we make bold to state that there is absolutely nothing dictatorial, draconian or undemocratic in the order by the Federal Government for striking lecturers to return to work or face dismissal.
    “You may wish to recall that on the 5th of August 1981, Ronald Reagan then American President sacked 11, 345 air traffic controllers after a two-day strike. Reagan took the decision after the striking workers turned down an 11 percent wage increase he had offered them”.
    Okupe stated that the demands of the ASUU leadership unwittingly questioned the integrity of the President, adding that the ASUU leaders went into negotiation with government with a mindset.

  • ASUU mobilise members against resuming lectures

    Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) at the weekend embarked on mass mobilisation of members not to comply with the federal government December 4 ultimatum to resume lectures.

    Members of the union were directed not to sign any register that may be opened by their Vice Chancellors.

    The leadership of the union on Friday before departing from Abuja following the federal government riot act instructing them to return to work or be sacked directed all branches chairmen to device means of mobilising their members not to fall for the threats of the federal government.

    It described  the federal government’s threat as “empty”, pending the next National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the Union slated for Minna.

    An official of the union who was in the Abuja meeting told our Correspondent that Chairmen were also advised not to hold public congresses in order to avoid any face off with armed military men government deployed to all institutions for the implementation of the December 4 deadline of re-opening.

    Our source also said that the date for the NEC meeting fixed for Minna, Niger State capital may not be made public but that the council may reconvene by the weekend after chairmen of branches would have assessed the implementation of the deadline given for resumption.

    “Chairmen of  all branches are to devise means of mobilising their members not to be intimidated into signing any register or returning to back to classroom. We also resolve not to hold any open congress now that our campuses are militarised but we will ensure that our people are adequately informed.

    “Same goes for the next NEC meeting. We resolved not to make public the date but we want all branches to monitor and ensure non-compliant with the federal government December 4 deadline before the council meeting slated for Minna, Niger State,” our source disclosed.

    To this end the Union have started using the short message service (sms) and other social media platforms to reach out and to mobilise members not to succumb to federal government threat which the union described as “empty”, insisting that the strike continues.

    One of the messages sent to mobilise members stated thus  “Dear members, FG decision to threaten us with sack confirms our suspicion that FG may not be honest and can not be trusted. Don’t sucumb (sic) to this empty threat. The strike continues. We shall triumph again. Please, DO NOT SIGN ANY REGISTER. ALUTA CONTINUA- CHAIRPERSON”.

    Another message reads, “Dear Congress member, I’m appealing we should stay calm and remain resolute. There is nothing wrong in asking govt to do what it says it will do immediately.  ASUU is not making any new demands as the Minister is propagating Govt is only repeating a ‘one act play’ scripted by the IBB dictatorship in early 90s. It didn’t work then, and, it won’t work now ALL BRANCHES are intact. We cannot be intimidated!!! UNITED WE BARGAIN DIVIDED WE BEG!!! ALUTA CONTINUA”.

    Another Professor at the Federal University of Technology Minna who spoke in confidence expressed shock at the government ultimatum. “One is shocked by the deadline. If they sack all of us, government will go to Kasua Gwari to pack lecturers or pick Professors on the streets. It is a pity, our leaders are reckless.

    “We are not moved by the ultimatum. We are waiting to see how they (govt) intend to wriggle itself out of the self inflicted problem. Do they know how the system runs. The era of intimidation is gone ,” the university don stated.

    Meanwhile University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) and Enugu State University of Science and Technology have directed students to resume today.

     

  • ASUU strike is subversive, says Jonathan

    ASUU strike is subversive, says Jonathan

    PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan believes the prolonged strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) is more of subversion than a mere trade dispute.

    But following criticisms across the country of the December 4 ultimatum he handed down to ASUU to call off the strike or risk mass sack, the President says government may review its stance.

    He spoke in Yenagoa late Friday at the Bayelsa State PDP Caucus meeting.

    The President is from that state.

    Responding to an observation by his former boss, Chief Diepreye Alamieyesigha, that the deadline given the lecturers coincides with the burial of Professor Festus Iyayi who died in the course of resolving the dispute, President Jonathan said the leadership of ASUU showed utter contempt to his person and office.

    He said never in the history of Nigeria has the President sat through a labour dispute meeting the type of which he had with ASUU.

    He said:”What was expected, having met with the highest authorities 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 should state the reason for that.

    “But despite the fact that I had the longest meeting with ASUU in my political history, we did not start that meeting until around 2 pm and the meeting ended the next day in the early hours of the morning.”

    He said ASUU has ceased to act like a trade union.

    “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 was given four days notice before the meeting. As you are meeting to resolve trade disputes, you expect the trade unions to get their officials ready.

    “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?

    “After that, they didn’t meet until one week, despite the fact that you met with the highest authority. It was unfortunate one of them, Prof. Iyayi died.

    “The way ASUU has conducted the matter shows they are extreme and when Iyayi died, they now said the strike was now indefinite. Our children have been at home for over five months.”

    He said the ultimatum was proposed by the Committee of Vice Chancellors and that the Supervising Minister of Education merely “passed on the decision.”

    He promised to hold consultation on the deadline “so that we will not be perceived to be insensitive.”

    Focusing on the PDP caucaus meeting, he urged unity in the party, stressing that without unity it would be difficult to achieve much in 2015.

    The state chairman of the party, Colonel Samuel Inokoba (rtd), who presided at the meeting dismissed the G7 governors as the voice of anarchy who were out to destroy what the nation’s founding fathers started.

    He urged all stakeholders in the state to continue to support the President as he faces the daunting task of ruling the country as well as the governor.

    Alamieyesigha described the recent defection of five PDP governors to the APC as “a national embarrassment.”

    The meeting started on Friday night and ended in the early hours of yesterday.

    Meanwhile, the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), and the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), are set to resume academic activities tomorrow.

    They made the announcement in separate statements in Nsukka and Enugu yesterday.

    The Registrar of the UNN, Anthony Okonta, said that “normal academic activities would resume immediately.”

    He asked students who have pending examinations for the 2012/2013 session to report to their respective faculties and departments in Nsukka and Enugu campuses.

    The ESUT Registrar, Chris Igbokwe, also advised students and academic and non- academic staff to report to the institution on December 2.

    He advised students to return to their campuses at Agbani and Enugu campuses as the second semester examination would commence on Monday, December 9.

    The Federal Government, on Thursday, directed all federal universities to resume work on or before December 4.

    The Supervising Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike, said ASUU members who fail to report for duty that day should consider themselves fired.

     

  • UI ASUU urges members to remain resolute

    UI ASUU urges members to remain resolute

    The University of Ibadan chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), has resolved to ignore the Federal Government’s ultimatum to striking lecturers to resume work by Wednesday or be fired.

    Members of the union marched round the campus yesterday, distributing fliers that likened resumption without resolution of the agreement with the Federal Government to mortgaging their birthright.

    The flier reads in part: “The modern strike breaker sells his birthright, his union, his wife, his children and his fellow man for an unfulfilled promise from his employer or corrupt benefactor.”

    About 200 lecturers, led by the UI-ASUU Chair, participated in the procession.

    They donned t-shirts with various inscriptions, including: “Walk out the Beasts in our system”; “Work out and work to save public education”; “FG walk the path of honour”; and “Annulment of agreements a comedy of errors.”

    Ajiboye said only the implementation of the FGN/ASUU resolutions of November 4 could lead to conducive teaching/learning environments in the universities.

    He said the union has not made any new demands to warrant the Federal Government’s decision to send policemen to schools and threats to recruit new teachers should the lecturers fail to resume by December 4.

    Faulting the Supervising Minister of Education, Chief Nyesom Wike on the recruitment issue, Ajiboye said the plan will only keep students out of the classroom until the purported recruitment process is completed, which may run until the middle of next year.

    On the deployment of policemen to federal universities, the ASUU chair described it as a waste of resources , saying they should be put to better use.

    He said: “It shows cluelessness in those leading us. The same police that have not been able to stop kidnapping, armed robbery, oil theft, or arrest corrupt politicians now become a tool of democratic oppression in the hands of our policy makers. They will all fail. Will the police come to the campuses with new hostels, laboratories, lecture rooms, internet or what does Wike mean they will provide an enabling environment? It is important for him to know that apart from politicians no Nigerian worker has an enabling working environment.”

     

  • ASUU strike: No, Wike! No!

    ASUU strike: No, Wike! No!

    I am at a loss why Supervising Education Minister Nyesom decided to issue the threat he did last Thursday to the striking members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

    Sounding like a military commandant, the minister ordered Vice Chancellors to reopen the campuses nationwide while lecturers are to resume duties by Monday or get sacked. Jobs of those who fail to return to work are to be advertised.

    I can understand the frustration of the Minister and the federal government over the refusal of the union to call off its over four months strike after the agreement reached at the meeting with the President.

    It is indeed embarrassing that the strike had been allowed to last this long and the government is justifiably desperate to end it having according to the minister met all its commitments and obligations with respect to the 2009 agreement.

    Notwithstanding that most Nigerians agree that ASUU has a good cause and should get the government to provide adequate resources for funding university education in the country, the feeling in most circles is that the strike is lasting longer than necessary.

    Having got the President to personally intervene in the matter and his promise this time around to meet the government’s obligations, many expect that the strike should be called off while the details of the agreement is being fine-tuned.

    However threatening the lecturers the way the Minister did last Thursday is definitely uncalled for. He was unnecessarily combative and may have complicated the crisis instead of maintaining his cool in the face of whatever frustration he may be feeling.

    To be fair to the lecturers, I remember the same Minister saying after the Aso Rock meeting that the union leader have reached an agreement with the President which they have to communicate to their members for ratification.

    If the union leaders for any reason are yet to agree with their members on the terms of calling off the strike and are asking to get the agreement signed and clear some grey areas, the government should not resort to any military tactic which is bound to back fire.

    Many of the campuses were not really shut since the strike commenced so there is no need for the minister to give the impression that all that is required to end the strike is to order reopening of the campuses. Vice Chancellors can go ahead and re-open the campuses that are closed but what will it matter if lecturers refuse to lecture as they have dared the minister.

    Not even under military regimes did the government succeed in ordering lecturers back to classes in situation like this. Wike should have known as a lawyer that there is no need in giving an unenforceable order. Like a reader who responded to one of my earlier write-ups on this strike noted, Wike should know that the country has witnessed an ASUU strike longer that the present one and the lecturers can decide to stay off the classroom for as long as they remain united on this cause.

    Having been magnanimous enough to intervene in this crisis before now, the President should not allow Wike to mess up the situation through what the ASUU leaders have aptly described as “empty threat”.

    The situation should not be reduced to one of his political battles considering that this is a national matter that requires some wisdom to resolve.

    ASUU’s demand may not be totally acceptable to the government but the disagreement cannot be definitely resolved by sack threat and deployment of policemen to campuses.

  • ASUU strike subversive – Jonathan

    ASUU strike subversive – Jonathan

    President Goodluck Jonathan has decried the prolonged strike by the  Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) over the non-implementation of its 2009 agreement  describing it as a subversive action.

    Jonathan  who insisted that the five-month strike was no longer a trade dispute said ASUU was insensitive to the plight of students by bluffing all his efforts to resolve the dispute.

    The President spoke at the Bayelsa State caucus meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which held at the Government House, Yenagoa.

    The meeting was presided over by the state party chairman, Col Samuel Inokoba (retd).

    The gathering which had in attendance party chieftains started on Friday night and ended on Saturday morning.

    Jonathan reacted to a concern by the former governor of the state, Chief Diepreye Alamieyesigha over the December 4 deadline handed down by the Federal Government to ASUU to call off its strike or be sacked.

    The former governor pleaded with the President over the deadline observing that it coincided with the funeral of late Prof. Festus Iyayi, a former leader of ASUU.

    Iyayi died in a road accident in Kogi State on November 12, on his way to Kano for the National Executive Council meeting.

    Alamieyesigha, the Chairman of the state’s Elders Advisory Forum asked  the President to have a rethink on the date to avoid perception that he was insensitive.

    But Jonathan was unhappy that ASUU failed to reconsider its stance on the strike despite holding what he described as the longest meeting as a political office holder with the union.

    He said theVicePresident, Minister of Finance, Minister of Labour, Minister of Justice, the Secretary to the Government and the delegation from the Nigeria Labour Congress were present in the marathon meetings meant to resolve the crisis.

    The President said: “What ASUU is doing is no longer trade union. 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 was given four days 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 authorities in the land for long hours, was for ASUU to immediately issue 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 for that.

    “But despite the fact that I had the longest meeting with ASUU in my political history, we did not start that meeting until around 2 pm 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?

    “After that they didn’t meet until one week, despite the fact that you met with the highest authority. It was unfortunate one of them, Prof. Iyayi died.

    “The way ASUU has conducted the matter shows they are extreme and when Iyayi died, they now said the strike was now indefinite, our children have been at home for over five months.

    “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.

    “What ASUU is doing is no longer trade dispute but subversive action. But like you rightly noted so that we will not be perceived to be insensitive, we will consult on the deadline.”