August 3, 2013

ASUU, FG Fail To Agree On Contentious Issues

THE hope for the re-opening of
universities in the shortest possible
time was dashed Thursday after the
Federal Government constituted
committee chaired by the Benue
State Governor, Hon. Gabriel Suswam in a meeting with the leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, failed to agree on the contentious issues.

There were expectations that ASUU
could call off the strike after the meeting as the National President of the union
Dr. Nasir Fagge had previously said that calling off the strike was dependent upon what the Federal government would place on the table in respect of the implementation of the 2009 agreement.

ASUU-strike-Cartoon Speaking to
Vanguard on the outcome of the
meeting, Dr. Fagge said, "Well it was inaugural meeting, so naturally nothing much was achieved.

It is just that the chairman (Governor Gabriel Suswan) told us how he wants to carry out the assignment. "And then he said that he thinks we should have a sub- committee that will liaise with TETFund and National Planning Commission to get more information on the technical report that was submitted by the Needs Assessment Committee and on the basis of that, projects will be identified and will now look for the funding."

On the promise he made that after the meeting the union would take a stand depending on what the government
would place on the table, he said,

"There is no change any way because the meeting today is just considering one aspect of the agreement, which is funding. "So what we did today was to have an inaugural meeting on funding and our members nation wide said nothing short of implementation of all aspects of the agreement will make them call off the strike, so like I said whatever meeting we are invited, we will go and give our members information.

like I said today's meeting was an
inaugural meeting nothing much was achieved there order than how to go andbimplementing the Needs Assessment Report which is an aspect of funding aspect of the agreement, so we will wait and see whatever government decides to do with the agreement, we are there."