UU strike worsens as FG embarks on ‘re-
negotiation’ of 2009 agreement
Festus Owete - 1 min ago
NEWS
The government also put the unemployment
figure at 23.9%.
Any hope of an early resolution of the crisis
between university lecturers and the federal
government dimmed on Tuesday as the
government hinted that it could not
implement the agreement it had with the
lecturers in 2009.
The Federal Government said it is re-
negotiating the 2009 Agreement it reached
with the lecturers- members of the
Academic Staff Union of Nigerian
Universities , ASUU- with a view to
successfully implementing it.
The Minister of Labour, Emeka Wogu, who
disclosed this to journalists in Abuja on
Tuesday after briefing the national
leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party,
PDP, on his stewardship in the last two
years, defended the government’s position.
Mr. Wogu said the Agreement predated the
current administration of President
Goodluck Jonathan. Mr. Jonathan was the
vice president in 2009 when the
government, then headed by President
Umaru Yar’Adua, negotiated the agreement
with the lecturers.
Mr. Wogu said there were some areas of the
Agreement that needed to be renegotiated
if it was to be satisfactorily implemented.
When asked categorically if his statements
meant the government would not
implement the agreement as it is, the
minister claimed the contrary.
He refused to categorically state that the
agreement was impracticable, saying its
Terms of Reference “created problems.” He
added that it was the reason why
government requested that the parties that
signed the document looked at it again. He
also refused to disclose the part of the
agreement the government would not
implement.
The minister disclosed that already there
was a government team headed by the
Secretary to the Government of the
Federation, Pius Anyim, which had series of
discussion with the union, insisting that
“the right thing to do is to come back to the
table.”
He also said that the National Assembly had
joined in the discussion with ASUU, adding
that government could only make headway
on the issue if it had the full picture of all
that was involved before the Agreement
was drafted and signed.
“We have made offer to ASUU. It is as
complex as presented. Negotiation is
ongoing. National Assembly is equally
involved. We believe they will soon call off
the strike. I personally and passionately
appeal to them to call off the strike.
“It will not affect the negotiation if they call
off the strike. It is better for them to be
inside than outside. Students have equally
appealed to them.”
Mr. Wogu’s declaration on Tuesday
confirmed the fear of hundreds of
thousands of university students, who are
made to stay away from learning, that the
strike may be prolonged.
ASUU in the past has gone on some strikes
that lasted several months. The ongoing
strike has been on for three weeks.
The lecturers, through their leadership have
repeatedly insisted that they would accept
nothing but 100 per cent implementation of
the agreement. The lecturers restated this at
their last meeting last week with federal
lawmakers and the relevant government
officials.
The lecturers, who said they would not call
off their strike until their demands are met,
have however said they would continue to
talk with the government. ASUU’s national
president, Nasir Fagge, said on Tuesday that
his union was waiting for the government
to call for another meeting.
“We shall continue to wait for them until
they are ready to put in place a lasting
solution to the current issue, so that our
children and the lecturers alike can go back
to school,” he said.
Mr. Fagge added that “… until government
starts looking at agreement as a product of
collective bargaining, we shall keep having
problems.”

Thank you ASUU 4 dis great opportunity to stay @ home till dis present moment. I hope u continue wit dis untill december. 1st again(it calls for celebration)

D are nw talking of anada agreement,does it mean each administration wee come and re negotiate.?

annexes: Thank you ASUU 4 dis great opportunity to stay @ home till dis present moment. I hope u continue wit dis untill december. 1st again(it calls for celebration)

guy!

You no know say you don dey old sha with all those hair wey full your cheeks and mouth.

annexes: Thank you ASUU 4 dis great opportunity to stay @ home till dis present moment. I hope u continue wit dis untill december. 1st again(it calls for celebration)

its seems you don take too much of gari ba,i see.

annexes: Thank you ASUU 4 dis great opportunity to stay @ home till dis present moment. I hope u continue wit dis untill december. 1st again(it calls for celebration)

abi u b multiple carry-over material ?......no harm intended oooooo