The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, today Tuesday 17 December, called off its over five months old strike after marathon deliberations that started on Monday morning and lasted till the early hours of Tuesday.
The marathon National Executive Committee meeting was held in the Niger State capital to deliberate over the agreement signed Wednesday, last week, by the union executives and the federal government.
The Union’s President Dr. Nasir Fagge, told journalists at the press briefing, which held at the Science Complex building of the Federal University of Technology, Bosso Campus, Minna, Niger State, that it accepted the resolutions signed between ASUU and the Federal Government on the 11th December, 2013 with the President of Nigeria Labour Congress.
“Finally, NEC resolved to suspend the strike embarked upon on 1st July 2013, with effect from Tuesday December 17th, 2013 and directs its branches to resume work forthwith”, he said.
Fagge however condemned some universities’ Vice Chancellors, who tried to sabotage the efforts of the Union.
According to him, “We condemn, without any reservation, Vice Chancellors, who made efforts to undermine and, in some cases, attempted, to break ASUU’s strike”.
Fagge said as part of its expectation, the National Executive Committee expects the government to implement fully the resolutions reached and signed with the Union.
He said, “First we expect that implementation monitoring committee which has already been constituted to the satisfaction of government and ASUU, will work assiduously so that the process of revitalization of Nigerian universities will receive the much needed boost, and our students and their parents will begin to see the fruits of the ASUU struggles.
“Our members expect the immediate beginning of the revitalization process, given, the letter FME/PS/398/C.I/Vol 1.1/110, of 12th December 2013, titled ‘Opening of a Dedicated Account for the Revitalization of Nigerian Universities.”
The meeting was attended by ASUU branch chairmen and secretaries, the national executive members of the Union, coordinators and past leaders, including members from 52 universities.
The different chapters of ASUU are expected to hold congress meetings on Wednesday, following which academic activities will resume in the universities.
Public universities lecturers have been on strike since July 1, 2013.
ASUU Apologises to Journalists
Earlier, the ASUU President apologised to the Nigerian Union of Journalists especially the journalists, who were assaulted by some of the university lecturers on Monday at the FUT, permanent campus, Minna.Fagge said, “I apologise to you for what transpired yesterday; it is not in our habit to chase away the press. We felt mosquitoes were biting you guys and you were outside in the cold.
“Please, whatever transpired between you (media) and ASUU was not in our nature, on behalf of the NEC and the whole ASUU, I tender an unreserved apology.”
finally the two elephants are tired of fighting. we hope the grass has not been totally grazed out.
ReplyDeleteAt the very least, the fight has resulted in manure coming to the grass.
DeleteLet us hope that the manure will help the grass grow faster than it ordinarily would have.
And let us also hope that the manure will result in beautiful lush green grasses nationwide :)