The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU has been given a one week ultimatum by the Federal Government to call off the ongoing strike or face mass sack.
The ultimatum has handed down by the acting Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike, during a media briefing in Abuja on Thursday.
Upon the expiration of the ultimatum, Vice-Chancellors of the various universities involved in the strike have been directed to sack any lecturer who fails to resume the work.
“The continuation of the strike despite several meetings, especially with President Goodluck Jonathan is an attempt by the union to sabotage all efforts by government to address the issue,” he said.
The minister disclosed that government has met all its commitments and obligations with respect to the agreement.
According to his words, government took the decision to reopen the universities following ASUU’s new conditions which are “not tenable. “
His words:
“On November 4, 2013 President Goodluck Jonathan met with ASUU executive, labour union leaders from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), where all the issues were resolved and firm commitments made to address the lingering crisis. “It is noteworthy that Mr. President’s gesture was more than sufficient to guarantee the commitment of government to address all issues raised at the meeting with Mr. President.
“At the end of the meeting, the ASUU team promised to convene a meeting of its National Executive Committee to present the resolutions reached and report back by Friday November 8, 2013. It is unfortunate that while travelling to attend the NEC meeting in Kano, we lost a key member and former President of the union, Prof. Festus Iyayi.
“Government sympathizes with the family of the late Iyayi and ASUU. It is however amazing that three weeks after the meeting with Mr. President, ASUU responded by giving new conditions for suspending the five month old strike. I have never seen anywhere in any country where you sit down with Mr. President.
“That is the highest level of discussion. If you cannot believe Mr. President then who else will you believe?”
“Any academic staff who fails to resume on or before the 4th of December, 2013 automatically ceases to be a staff of the institution
“Vice-Chancellors are also directed to advertise vacancies (internal and external) in their institutions.
“The National Universities Commission is hereby directed to monitor the compliance of these directives by the various institutions.
“The Federal Government has met all its Commitment and obligations with respect to the FG/ASUU 2009 Agreement. We appeal to all stakeholders to appreciate the position of Government which is in the best interest of our dear country.”
ASUU has been on a nationwide strike since July 1, demanding the government implements a 2009 agreement it had with the union.
The lecturers had last week, at the end of the ASUU NEC meeting, resolved to take a definite position on the government’s offer and the strike after meeting President Goodluck Jonathan this week.
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