Members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities have given the Federal Government certain conditions to be met before the union could call off its four-month old strike.

Part of this condition, Saturday PUNCH learnt, is that all federal parastatals in charge of fund, labour, and education must sign the agreement purportedly reached between its leadership and the Federal Government on Tuesday.

A prominent member of the union, who craved anonymity because he was not authorised to speak on behalf of the union, told Saturday PUNCH that doing this would give the association the confidence that “the Federal Government knows what it is doing when it signed the agreement.”

He said, “I must tell you that our mandate remains. The only mandate we have is that 2009 agreement must be met. We have not reached any agreement with the Federal Government.

“Since the Federal Government  wants to be releasing N220bn every year for five years, then all monetary and regulatory agencies must sign. The  Central Bank of Nigeria, Ministries of Finance and Labour, National Assembly, Office of the Presidency, National Universities Commission, Tertiary Education Trust Fund, Trade Union Congress and our umbrella body, the Nigeria Labour Congress, must sign with consequences stated.

“The reason we will ensure this is that we don’t want argument tomorrow that the agreement was entered in error or that they don’t know the implication of signing the agreement. If possible, documents that will provide for automatic deduction of the agreed money at a particular/agreed date must be provided.”

The leadership of the union had engaged in a 13-hour marathon meeting with  government delegation  led by President Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja between Monday and Tuesday.

Though it was generally perceived that both ASUU and the Federal Government  achieved breakthrough in negotiation for the first time after the lengthy meeting with the President, Saturday PUNCH learnt that the lecturers might not be  in a hurry to go back to class.

Another  source close to ASUU who was also part of the marathon meeting  with the President in Abuja, said there was nothing new in what the President promised members of the union.

According to him, government had always failed in implementing agreements reached with ASUU. He said, “Truly the President sat down for more than 13 hours with us. He told us that we were not leaving the venue until the issues were resolved.  The Federal Government also promised to inject funds into the system, but a promissory note is not enough.

“Where would the money come from? There  is no assurance that government will provide money especially with the mop-up policy in place that ensures that unspent money is refunded to government’s coffers at the end of every year.’’

Asked when the lecturers would call off the strike, he said, “I doubt if the strike is ending soon.  The problem is with the Finance Minister. Where is government getting N1trn  from? A government that could not implement agreement between 2009 and 2013, what is the guarantee that they would honour this agreement.

“It is all politics.  We are still awaiting directives from our branches. We have told them the outcome of the meeting with the President but we are waiting for them to tell us what they think of government’s proposal.

“Imagine the Minister of Education has travelled out of the country. He was appointed Vice President for UNESCO General Assembly.  How can he travel out of the country without resolving the crisis in the education sector?’’

He said the Federal Government should spend the trillions of dollars in its Sovereign Wealth Fund to finance university education and improve infrastructure in the country.

A key component of the agreement reached by both ASUU and the Federal Government was that government would inject N1.1trn into public universities in the next five years. Government is expected to inject N220bn yearly into the public university sector beginning from 2014.  But government said it could only release N100bn this year, noting that the amount had already been processed.

The Federal Government also indicated that the N1.1trn would be domiciled at the Central Bank of Nigeria to show its commitment to the agreement. The money is expected to be released on quarterly basis to the universities so that there won’t be any problem about funding the deal.

The National Universities Commission and the Trade Union Congress will be the joint guarantors of the agreement while the Minister of Education will be the implementing officer. Government, according to sources at the meeting, also agreed to revamp public universities by ensuring that all the issues that always lead to strike are dealt with once and for all.

Asked to confirm if lecturers were planning to call off their strike, ASUU Chairman, University of Calabar branch, Dr. James Okpiliya, said the local chapter was yet to get formal briefing on the meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan.

He, however, said the union would make its position known to the press on the President’s offer after the end of a meeting scheduled for mid-night Thursday.

Also, Chairman of ASUU in Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Prof. Adegbola Akinola, said that members must be properly briefed on the resolution between the Federal Government and representatives of ASUU in the last marathon meeting.

He said the only condition that could make its members accept any offer would be the provision of necessary documents.

He said, “The NEC meeting may not hold now. It is the local congress that is expected to hold first which is either tomorrow or Monday.

“Our members are not yet briefed about the details, so it is when we meet that we will know the details and then discuss whether what we got is sufficient enough to justify our action or demand.

“I can’t really pre-empt the mind of other members. But if we are to accept any offer, there must be document to back that up. We need to obtain documents on that. Maybe if there is a document, people may look at it critically.”

However, the Federal Government said it would include the N1.1trn promised ASUU in the education budget starting from next year. It also said it was waiting for the union to know the next step to take.

The Director, Press and Public Relations of the Ministry of Education, Mr. Olu Lipide, told one of our correspondents on Thursday that government was waiting for ASUU to take the necessary steps.

Meanwhile, the Dean of Social Sciences, University of Lagos, Prof. Omololu Soyombo, has said that the general ASUU body must agree before the strike could be called off.

He said, “It is difficult to believe the President but we give him the benefit of doubt. We believe that the President is noble, the ASUU president promised to give him a feedback. If this had been done earlier, the strike wouldn’t have extended for so long.”

Corroborating his view, the Chairman, Lagos State University, ASUU, Dr. Jamiu Oluwatoki said, “It won’t be long again. By next week there should be a NEC meeting and subsequently the congress meetings before the president can call off the strike.”

http://www.punchng.com/news/ASUU-seeks-watertight-deal-from-fg/?

L.M Ayedun..:

“Imagine the Minister of Education has travelled out of the country. He was appointed Vice President for UNESCO General Assembly.  How can he travel out of the country without resolving the crisis in the education sector?’’

Nyesom Wike doesn't care about ASUU/Education sector... The Man is seriously making plans to take over from Gov.Ameachi.

Poor Nigeria students.

I don't blame ASUU , FG can't be trusted anymore with agreements.

ok o.....i dey wait.

Okay.

L.M Ayedun..:
Nyesom Wike doesn't care about ASUU/Education sector... The Man is seriously making plans to take over from Gov.Ameachi.

Poor Nigeria students.

chai.

Alright

ASUU sucks, FG worse

we are watching this movie, its suspense though, we cant predict the end!

This is what you get when you put extremists in positions of Authority. From Nasir Faggae, Kwankwaso, Ahmadinejad to Buhari, what we have are men who must have their way against the collective good of the people.
Nigerian students, whenever your lecturers decide to call off the strike and you get back to school; ensure that those lecturers who do not know what they teach, demand for monetary or sexual gratification, guilty of plagiarism and pretended intellectuals are exposed for the frauds that they are. It is high time they are held accountable and made to up their ante. Government cannot fulfill their own side of the bargain with the lecturers only for the students to be shortchanged by lecturers. Since ASUU is interested in arresting the decay in the education sector, let the students help and arrest the rot within their various universities. Say no to the culture of impunity pervading our universities, occassioned by the lecturers.

make we dey watch na,... So all our hopes mite be dashed??

222bl? ASUU una no go pull down Nigeria! GOD will not allow that.

utumunta: This is what you get when you put extremists in positions of Authority. From Nasir Faggae, Kwankwaso, Ahmadinejad to Buhari, what we have are men who must have their way against the collective good of the people.
Nigerian students, whenever your lecturers decide to call off the strike and you get back to school; ensure that those lecturers who do not know what they teach, demand for monetary or sexual gratification, guilty of plagiarism and pretended intellectuals are exposed for the frauds that they are. It is high time they are held accountable and made to up their ante. Government cannot fulfill their own side of the bargain with the lecturers only for the students to be shortchanged by lecturers. Since ASUU is interested in arresting the decay in the education sector, let the students help and arrest the rot within their various universities. Say no to the culture of impunity pervading our universities, occassioned by the lecturers.

what is dis one saying??never knew pple can still be dis stewpid

season 3....in the tym of ASUU strike the destiny of nigerian uni rest on a shoulder of our leaders.....named FG

Madawaki01: what is dis one saying??never knew pple can still be dis stewpid

That guy is seriously sick

To be frank with you,I prefer ASUU calling off this strike january Ist, 2014.

I hope they mentioned this conditional clause to the FG immediately after the meeting. It will look and sound overbearing to come up with this condition days after a 13 hour rigorous meeting with the president.

utumunta: This is what you get when you put extremists in positions of Authority. From Nasir Faggae, Kwankwaso, Ahmadinejad to Buhari, what we have are men who must have their way against the collective good of the people.

Such a myopic post!

All i'm interested in is that the strike should be called off. The students have suffered enough! Their time have been wasted enough! Haba! Do they want them to grow grey hairs before they are back to school The president tried and showed a quality of a good leader by negotiating, persuading and appealing the ASUU, yet, we haven't heard anything about calling off the strike! Sometimes, it's wise to shift ground because of a certain reason, wich they (ASUU) can do because of the students' life and time that are involved, but seems they aint concerned. This is not fair o.

L.M Ayedun..:


“Since the Federal Government  wants to be releasing N220bn every year for five years, then all monetary and regulatory agencies must sign. The  Central Bank of Nigeria, Ministries of Finance and Labour, National Assembly, Office of the Presidency, National Universities Commission, Tertiary Education Trust Fund, Trade Union Congress and our umbrella body, the Nigeria Labour Congress, must sign with consequences stated.

“The reason we will ensure this is that we don’t want argument tomorrow that the agreement was entered in error or that they don’t know the implication of signing the agreement. If possible, documents that will provide for automatic deduction of the agreed money at a particular/agreed date must be provided.”

i want david mark to rep National Assembly, so that they can criticize him also the same way he criticize gameliel onosode team of 2009:

Msscchheeww I don even forget my matric number talkless of d course am studying...(Mechanic learning on point)

ASUU has taken the right step,once beaten twice shy.

utumunta: This is what you get when you put extremists in positions of Authority. From Nasir Faggae, Kwankwaso, Ahmadinejad to Buhari, what we have are men who must have their way against the collective good of the people.
Nigerian students, whenever your lecturers decide to call off the strike and you get back to school; ensure that those lecturers who do not know what they teach, demand for monetary or sexual gratification, guilty of plagiarism and pretended intellectuals are exposed for the frauds that they are. It is high time they are held accountable and made to up their ante. Government cannot fulfill their own side of the bargain with the lecturers only for the students to be shortchanged by lecturers. Since ASUU is interested in arresting the decay in the education sector, let the students help and arrest the rot within their various universities. Say no to the culture of impunity pervading our universities, occassioned by the lecturers.

Needless to say, you are the real extremist. But before I descend into typing anything I might look back and deem cringeworthy, pray tell, Is Faggae not just one man? Is he going to be the sole beneficiary of the tertiary educational sector reforms? Have the lecturers come to you to cry Faggae is holding them duress?

Anyway, we are well aware of your type-- Wishy-washy with no sense of purpose or determination.

OP, ASUU has not only a shown by this pronouncement that it is largely an intellectual body, it has also shown that it is smart and street-wise. I mean, the FG or the administration after this may maliciously wake up tomorrow to deny knowledge of this agreement as this government did the 2009 one. Its as simply as a case of "once beaten..." If ASUU insists Ban ki moon must sign sef I won't fault them. j/k.

I too don't trust the FG one bit!

iwanchop: ASUU has taken the right step,once beaten twice shy.

Make than 5 time bitten.

The government is not to be trusted and just cos GEJ sat for 13 hours does not mean ish. They have been sayin the same thing since 2009. I agree with ASUU that we need to see where the money will come from budgetary planning too. That will show sincerity on the part of the FG.

No one wants to resume and strike again in 4 months time.

Good move by ASUU. Government is always quick to make promises they don't usually keep.

utumunta:
Nigerian students, whenever your lecturers decide to call off the strike and you get back to school; ensure that those lecturers who do not know what they teach, demand for monetary or sexual gratification, guilty of plagiarism and pretended intellectuals are exposed for the frauds that they are. It is high time they are held accountable and made to up their ante. Government cannot fulfill their own side of the bargain with the lecturers only for the students to be shortchanged by lecturers. Since ASUU is interested in arresting the decay in the education sector, let the students help and arrest the rot within their various universities.

This is easier said than done. Infact only the govt can sanitise that aspect

Sec5: To be frank with you,I prefer ASUU calling off this strike january Ist, 2014.

Supported!!........


No need calling off this strike without FG honouring the agreement after we have spent 4 months at home.........

Moreover,this year is coming to an end and man gat to hustle small for december.....

Let them call it off ending december while school resumes early january......

kokoA: Good move by ASUU. Government is always quick to make promises they don't usually keep.

The actions of the FG has shown they can't be trusted. You just made an agreement and no one knows how you intend to fulfil it.

Looks like deceit to ASUU

asanchez: season 3....in the tym of ASUU strike the destiny of nigerian uni rest on a shoulder of a young man......GEJ

young ke?

I have a feeling ASUU would call off this strike towards the end of January on my birthday....

I see this strike taking a different twist.

Demdem: In summary, ASUU do not trust govt. Only fools will.
Good demands from ASUU demanding that all affected government agencies should sign the commitment. They should also make sure that that useless David mark sign.
ASUU has mastered the means of holding the govt by its balls.

I tell ya bro there wouldn't be any loophole for Fg to showcase it fo.olishness after signing this agreement.

no trust again