ASUU strike: Any light at the end of the tunnel?

ASUU strike: Any light at the end of the
tunnel?
on november 07, 2013 at 1:30 am in education
By DAYO ADESULU, AMAKA ABAYOMI, LAJU
ARENYEKA & IKENNA ASOMBA
Two days after a marathon 13-hour closed door
meeting between President Goodluck Jonathan and
the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU),
Vanguard Learning has gathered that there are
hopes of optimism for students to return to schools
soonest, as the union and FG seem to be on the
same page.
As there are indications that the meeting, which
started at about 2:40 p.m Monday afternoon and
went on till about 3:30 a.m Tuesday morning may
yield positive results, all things being equal,
concerted efforts made to speak with ASUU leaders
to make public their position has proved abortive, as
those contacted have kept mum.
They only obliged to make known their position after
a National Executive Council (NEC) meeting
scheduled for this week.
Though ASUU officials refused to disclose details of
the meeting, but according to close sources at the
meeting, one major agreement reached was that
Federal Government would inject N1.1 trillion into
public varsities in the next five years, which would
be released on a yearly basis at N220bn per annum
starting from 2014.
“For the outgoing year, government will only release
N100bn which has been processed. To further
show its commitment to the agreement, government
accepted that the N1.1trn be domiciled at the
Central Bank of Nigeria to be released on a
quarterly basis to the varsities,” the sources said.
Meanwhile, before now, there have been
contentious insinuations from the Federal
Government and the Senate that ASUU took
advantage of the ignorance of those delegated by
government to negotiate on its behalf with the union
in the October 2009 agreement.
University of Benin gate
Against this backdrop, one of the signatories of
government, Dr. Bolanle Olawale Babalakin (SAN),
has broken silence.
Speaking through his Special Assistant, Mr. Olawale
Ganiyu, Babalakin has clarified that there was no
point taken towards signing the agreement that was
not clear to the government.
According Babalakin, impressions that somebody
from nowhere negotiated the agreement was far
from the truth, as he argued that the calibre of
people whom the Federal Government consulted to
negotiate on their behalf were not mediocres whom
ASUU would outwit to sign the document.
Speaking to Vanguard Learning, he said among
other respected individuals, government re-
negotiation team included the likes of Deacon
Gamaliel Onosode, Chairman of the Committee, who
was at that time, the Pro-chancellor, University of
Ibadan and Chairman, Committee of Pro-
Chancellors.
Other members who signed on behalf of government
were Late Professor Musa Abdullahi, Secretary
General Committee of Vice-Chancellors and
immediate past Pro-Chancellor, University of Jos;
Professor Greg Iwu, immediate past Pro-
Chancellor, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka; Rev.
Father T.E. Uwaifo, immediate past Pro-Chancellor,
Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma; and Barrister
Emeka Nwankpa, former Pro-Chancellor, Abia State
University, Uturu.
Others were Amb. Muhammed Jumba, immediate
past Pro-Chancellor, Bayero University, Kano;
Professor Mahmood Yakubu, Executive Secretary,
Education Trust Fund (ETF), Abuja and Senator
Abdalla Wali, former Pro-Chancellor, University of
Technology, Yola, who was a member of the
committee until February 23, 2008.
Besides the Federal Government renegotiation
committee members, Babalakin also revealed that
there were 11 advisers of FG, comprising of
Professor Julius Okojie, Executive Secretary,
National Universities Commission, (NUC), Abuja;
Professor Oye Ibidapo-Obe, former Chairman,
Committee of Vice-Chancellors; Professor J.D.
Amin, immediate past Chairman, Committee of Vice-
Chancellors; Professor E.A.C. Nwanze, Chairman
Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Vice-
Chancellor, University of Benin among others.
He said to ensure that no stone was left unturned,
the Federal Government chose 12 dignitaries who
served as observers of the renegotiation and
agreement with ASUU. The observers were Mrs.
V.A. Eghobamien, representative of Federal Ministry
of Labour; Mr. S.A. Ajibola, representative of Federal
Ministry of Labour; Professor Ignatus Uvah, Deputy
Executive Secretary (University Education), NUC
and Mr P.I. Ekun, representative of Special Services
Office of the Presidency, Abuja.
Others were Mrs. Ori Okojokwu, representative of
Federal Ministry of Education; Mr. Chike Ogbechie,
National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission;
Mr. P.E. Oyong, Federal Ministry of Justice; Mrs.
Cynthia Okigbo, Budget Office of the Federation,
Federal Ministry of Finance, Abuja and Mr. I.O.
Malaolu, Office of the Secretary to the Government
of the Federation, Abuja.
On ASUU’s part, they were represented during the
signing of the agreement by Dr. Abdullahi Sule-
Kano, a former President and Professor Ukachukwu
Awuzie, the then President, alongside 26 other
members.
Meanwhile, Monday’s meeting is the first time the
President would lead government’s delegation team
for negotiation with ASUU since the commencement
of the strike four months ago.
Emerging from the meeting at the First Lady’s
conference room at the presidential villa, ASUU
President, Nasir Faggae said, “We have had lengthy
meeting with Mr. President, rubbing minds on how
best to address the problem of university education
in this country.”
“We now have a message from Mr. President that
we are going to take to our members and we are
expecting that our members will respond
appropriately to the message of Mr. President.”
On whether the lecturers are now going back to the
classroom, the ASUU President said, “that is up to
our members.”
When asked to disclose the the President ‘s
message that would be delivered to the members of
the union, Mr. Faggae said, “I cannot tell you, it’s
not for you, it is for our members.”
On whether he was impressed with the President’s
message, Mr. Faggae said, “Don’t put words into
my mouth, our members will determine that”
However, Labour Minister, Emeka Wogu told State
House Correspondents that meaningful progress
was made in the negotiations with ASUU,
expressing hope that the striking lecturers would
call off the strike.
Mr. Wogu said, “We made progress, the President
of ASUU told you that they are going back with a
message from the Federal Government back to
their members and the message is full of high
expectations and hope.”
On whether the strike would be called off, he said:
“That is why the message is full of high
expectations and hope. So our prayers is that they
come back with positive outcome. They might not
even come back to meet us, they might take
decisions there that will meet your expectations.”
“Nigerians should be patient for ASUU to finish their
meetings and come out with a message to
Nigerians.”
Responding to whether the Federal Government
made a fresh offer to the striking lecturers, the
Minister said, “the offer we made are the offer they
are taking in line with the 2009 agreement. The
issues that led to the strike are issues contained in
the 2009 agreement and we did not go beyond the
agreement.”