ASUU strike update:Sambo Takes over Negotiation with ASUU

The Vice-President, Alhaji Namadi
Sambo, Thursday took over the
negotiation with the striking Academic
Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), in a
move to end the lingering strike by the
union.
The new development was the outcome
of the deliberations between Sambo and
ASUU's delegation held behind closed
doors in the State House for about two
hours last night.
At the end of the meeting between the
vice-president and representatives of
ASUU, the contending parties refused to
reveal details of the discussions, hence
leaving journalists to guess if the meeting
was fruitful or not.
Speaking to journalists after the meeting,
ASUU president, Nasir Isa Fagge, noted
that the union needed to discuss their
meeting with their members and get back
to the government.
Asked to assure Nigerians on early
resolution of the crisis, Fagge insisted that
as a good messenger, he would only
report back to the larger ASUU body.
He also refused to divulge the details of
government's fresh offer.
Also speaking, supervising Minister of
Education, Nyesom Wike, assured
Nigerians that students would soon
return to school as government was ready
to make sure all the contending issues are
resolved as soon as possible.
Others in the meeting include former
ASUU presidents, Dr. Dipo Fasina and Dr.
Abdullahi Sule-Kano.
Also in attendance were the Vice-
Chancellors of Bayero University Kano
(BUK), University of Ibadan (UI) and
Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University
(ATBU) Bauchi, Profs. Abdulrasheed
Abubakar, Isaac Adewole and Muhammed
Hamisu Muhammed.
The Excutive Secretary of the National
Universities Commission (NUC), Prof.
Julius Okojie was also at the meeting.
Benue State Governor, Gabriel Suswam's
committee had been in charge of the
negotiations since the beginning of the
strike about three months ago with ASUU.
Meanwhile, the Committee of Pro-
Chancellors of Nigerian Federal
Universities (CPC) has appealed to ASUU
to end the strike and return to the
classrooms.
The committee, composed by Chairman of
Governing Councils, said the government
had shown commitment to the causes
pursued by the union by sourcing funds
for the disbursement of N130 billion for
infrastructure and payment of earned
allowances of the lecturers.
In a communique issued at the end of its
meeting in Abuja to deliberate on the
lingering strike, the CPC said it had
received the assurances of President
Goodluck Jonathan to provide the balance
of the shortfall of the earned allowances
if any, only after due verification by
councils on those entitled to the
allowances.
The communique issued yesterday and
signed by the Chairman of the CPC, Prof.
Kimse Okoko, added that the government
had promised to consistently make
budgetary and non-budgetary funds for
the revitalisation of the universities from
2014.
"However, and as we all know,
appropriation of funds fall within the
purview of the National Assembly and
that is where we all, including ASUU will
have to appeal to, to ensure that
adequate funds are appropriated," it
read.
It listed the issues in the 2009 FG/ASUU
Agreement, which have already been
addressed.
These include consolidated salary
structure for all teaching and non-
teaching staff since 2009, amendment to
pensionable retirement age of academics
and registration of Nigerian Universities
Pension Management Company
(NUPEMCO) with N250 million
contribution by the FG.
Other addressed issued are assistance for
state universities through federal
intervention agencies and  national health
insurance scheme among others.