Nigerian Teachers Threaten To Strike Over New Resumption Date

The Nigerian Union of Teachers, NUT, have
threatened to go on a nationwide strike if the
Federal government does not shift the date of
resumption as well as put in place measures
that would protect their members from
contracting the deadly Ebola virus while
teaching in schools.
Speaking in a telephone interview with Punch,
the National President of the NUT, Michael
Alogba, said the union had taken a decision not
to allow any of its members go into any school
to teach if the eradication of the deadly virus
has not been scientifically and medically
proven.
“In any sane society, decision such
as this will not be taken until the
government and all stakeholders have
met and discussed the issue at stake
and are sure that the nation is
scientifically and medical free from
the scourge.
But this is not the case in our country.
When they arrived at the early October
13 date, they wrote us and we agreed
with their argument but when this
new date was given, they did not
because of the influence of some
powerful school owners who put
pressure on them (Federal
Government) to announce the
September 22 date.
Anyway, we have written to tell them
that if the Federal Government does
not shift the date and provide all
necessary safety measures in schools
before Monday next week, all NUT
leaders will meet in Abuja by 9am on
Tuesday to decide our fate by
ourselves.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Though I don’t want to preempt the
outcome of the meeting but as
teachers who have families and who
should protect our future, I mean our
students, we will shun the classes; we
will call for strike.
What kind of government is this, don’t
they know that children can never be
as hygienic as adults? Don’t they
know that the immunity level of
children is not as high as that of
adults? Why do you want to open
schools when you have not cleared
out the virus; when you still have
about 400 people under surveillance
in Port Harcourt and Lagos? You are
aware of what is happening at the
Obafemi Awolowo University.
How are we sure that there is no
primary or secondary school pupil
that has had contact with an Ebola
patient.
It’s good that the NMA (Nigerian
Medical Association) has spoken and
we have told them too that we would
not cooperate with them.
That is why we are going to take a
drastic action on Tuesday to protect
ourselves and our children.
I can tell you that we will shun
schools; we won’t cooperate with
them.
In other words, we will embark on
strike.” he said
He warned that if by next Monday, September
15th the Federal Government had not extended
the new date, the executive council would meet
by Tuesday 16th September where a drastic
decision would be taken.
Meanwhile after the Federal Executive Council
meeting in Abuja yesterday the Health Minister
said there was no going back on the
resumption date.
According to him, there was no scientific basis
for school resumption date to be postponed
“First unlike other countries, there is no
community transmission of the disease in
Nigeria; not one yet.
But we have taken precautions, what we are
doing, we may as well have said everybody
should just be moving about, but we are taking
precautions.
There is no scientific basis for school
resumption to be postponed. There is no
community transmission of the disease in
Nigeria.

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That is what separates Nigeria from other
countries. It is what I call irrational fear; we
don’t need to be irrational about this.” he said
The Nigerian Medical Association as well as the
House of Representative Committee on
Education have spoken against the new
resumption date.

JAMB Begins Sale Of 2015 UTME Forms

Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, JAMB, has said its application forms for the 2015 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME, is now available nationwide for prospective candidates, reaffirming that the examination will be on Computer-Based Test (mode) only.
This was disclosed recently when Nigerian Pilot called on the Spokesperson of the Board, Mr. Fabian Benjamin.
He said the registration period will last between Monday September 15, 2014 and Thursday January 15, 2015, while the website closes Monday January 19, 2015.
Mr. Benjamin stated that in addition to the registration fee, candidates will be expected to pay additional N500 for a copy of a newly introduced textbook, ‘The Last Days at Forcados High School’, adding that the Board has made arrangement to provide the book to avoid the challenge of availability and piracy and that the textbooks will be issued at the point of registration.
According to the JAMB Spokesman, the Board has also introduced a regulated registration format where only our Computer-Based Test, CBT, centers and state offices nationwide are authorised to register candidates.
“The idea of a regulated registration centre is to prevent situations where candidates are exploited and to check impersonation, including other acts of malpractices”, he said.

The Senior Staff Association of the Nigerian Universities (SSANU),Western Zone, yesterday threatened to down tools if the Federal Government decides to fully implement the Needs Assessment Report which it described as poisonous to Non-Academic Staff in universities.

Addressing newsmen on the issues raised by the Prof. Yakubu led Needs Assessment Committee at a lecture held at the University of Benin (UNIBEN), the National Vice President and chairman Western Zone, of the SSANU, Comrade Alfred Jimoh, said the association had earlier faulted the composition of the Needs committee set up by the Federal Government to identify the gaps in the university system.




He said the committee was not only “lopsided but one sided because it excluded both students and the non-teaching staff in the system and compromise only members of the Academic Staff and the then incumbent President of ASUU. “The report of the committee is laced with some poisonous and odious recommendations against the Non teaching staff, which we call satanic verses of Needs Assessment Report”.

He said therefore that “one cannot but wonder how government could expect an objective and dispassionate report from such a warped and highly skewed committee. True to type and as anticipated by the Non teaching staff of Nigerian universities, the committee came out with a voluminous document full of graphics, illustrations and pictorials which range from truth to half truth and altar false hood.

“We the Non teaching staff Unions particularly the Western zone of the SSANU have at every fora given warning to the Federal Government to discard the offensive parts of the Needs report which seek to determine the job Non teaching staff of Nigerian universities and halt their human development through training and retraining” he said. 

He further warned that the full implementation of the report would be resisted through industrial action. 

ASUU calls off strike 2013

Report reaching latestgistandupdate from Minna, Niger State capital, indicates that the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has called off its five months strike.

The Union arrived at the latest decision to suspends its strike after a marathon meeting held at the Federal University of Technology (FUT), Minna, Niger State on Monday.

After a protracted debate, the Federal Government and ASUU reached a compromise during a negotiation brokered by the President of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Abdulwaheed Omar few days ago.

Lecturers are to resume there official duty with immediate effect.

Details shortly... 

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ASUU to FG: Write to us on the deposited N200 Billion

President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Dr. Nasir Isa Fagge, yesterday advised the government to write a letter informing the union of the deposited N200 billion.

The N200 billion is part of the N1.3 trillion demanded by ASUU which was agreed will be paid within six years between this year and 2018.

Government also promised that the funds will be ring-faced.

Reacting to the Presidency’s claim that N200billon had been deposited with the CBN for onward distribution to the universities, Fagge in a telephone interview last night said government should follow the due process and stop briefing reporters instead of writing to ASUU.

He said the letter should contain government’s response to the remaining three of the four conditions given by the union which are: That the renegotiation of the 2009 agreement in 2014 be included in the final document as agreed at the discussion with the President;

•That a non-victimisation clause which is normally captured in all interactions of this nature be included in the final document;

•And that a new Memorandum of Understanding shall be validly endorsed, signed by a representative of government, preferably the Attorney General of the Federation and a representative of ASUU, with the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) as a witness.

“Informing the media when an official letter has not been written to ASUU is a wasted effort. Government should write ASUU officially informing the union of the deposited N200 billion. We are not fools. Government should be able to follow the due process.

“We do not want to leave anything to chances. We understand English and the tactics more than government. After that official letter to ASUU is written containing the remaining three agreed positions, ASUU can respond and decide on when to call off the strike. Nobody can intimidate us. 

ASUU Strike: Important Notice To All Students Regarding Resumption Notices

Dear Students,

As tension rises in the academic community nationwide due the order from the Education Minister that all universities be reopened before 4th of December 2013, we are very committed to get you informed about the true state of things across schools in the country.



Currently, we take time to confirm all information before posting them to avoid putting the students in a state of confusion. This is because at a moment like this, many real and fake information are spread which usually confuse the students.

It will be too unprofessional and unjust too to share fake news that will end up giving the students unfounded hope. Many of the students have been expressing their anger on our posts by alleging that this page always post information that are in favour of ASUU but we will like you all to understand that our duty is to report all confirmed news which may turn out to be positive or negative depending on the view of the reader.

We have been trying to get the current stand of lecturers of various schools on the latest development in the nation's education sector but our efforts have not been "wholly" fruitful.

Presently reports from UNN, EBSU, FUTO, etc said that even though the school managements officially called for resumption of activities, ASUU (Lecturers) have vowed never to return to classes till their demands are met. This shows that it is possible for students to return to school and yet nothing academic will take event.

Kindly note that as soon as it is confirmed that academic activities have kicked off in various schools, we shall let you all know and we shall equally remain in touch with various university authorities and SUG to give you the latest genuine reports.

Thanks and remain blessed. Feel free to comment, commend, or ask questions regarding your school.

Breaking News: Uniben pulls out of Asuu strike, reopens December 3rd!

In response to the Federal Government's Directive that all Federal universities be reopened on or before December 4, 2013, the University of Benin (UNIBEN) will open her doors on December 3rd!

As gathered in an NTA report on December 2nd, the university of Benin have joined few other universities like UNN, FUTO, etc in the resumption train.

The directive calling for reopening was contained in the circular that have been pasted all around the school directing the students to resume in their own interest on 7th of December as exam start Jan 6th.

ASUU Breaking News: FUTO To Sack Entire Academic Staff !

The Senate of the Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO) have threatened to sack all academic staff on its payroll with immediate effect on December 4, 2013, Monday, for failure to return to classrooms.

This has been confirmed by Mr. Chike Ezenwa, the Public Relations Officers (PRO) of the institution, in a telephone conversation with the Nigerian Tribune in Owerri.


According to him, the senate of the university had declared all the positions of academic staff in the institution, adding that they would be advertised starting from December 2, 2013, Monday.

The PRO further explained that the senate council had already compiled the list of vacant positions in the school, adding that who were willing to resume would be adequately protected.

As concerns resuming the teaching process, the following press release was issued at FUTO:

The Senate of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri at its 375th Extraordinary meeting held on Monday, December 2, 2013 considered the directive of the Federal Government on resumption of duty by Academic Staff in Federal Universities and decided that academic activities in the University should resume immediately for the conclusion of the 2012/2013 Rain Semester.

Consequently all students of the University are required to return to campus between Monday December 2, and Friday December 8, 2013 while Rain Semester Examinations commence on Monday December 9, 2013 and end on Saturday December 21, 2013.

Accordingly, all academic staff are required to proceed immediately to their respective Departments to sign in for resumption of duty not later than Wednesday December 4, 2013.

However, the FUTO branch of ASUU said any attempt to break their ranks would be strongly resisted by their members. The Monday’s communiqué urged members to ignore the resumption notice by FUTO management, adding that the branch would not engage in any academic activities until the Federal Government committed itself to implementing the ASUU-FGN agreement. 

LATEST: We Have Met ASUU's Demands - Presidency

THE presidency Tuesday said that the Federal Government has met with demands of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU and there was no need to maintain the strike, just as it stressed that the agreement was reached sequel to the last meeting held between Federal Government and ASUU.


According to the Presidency, the administration believes that with the agreement and the result of the votes across the campuses, ASUU has no reason for further sustenance of the strike, even as it called on the Union to comply with the call on them to resume work without further delay.

This is coming as the ultimatum issued to ASUU lapses today.

Speaking in Abuja during an interactive session with leaders of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Youth and Students’ Matters, Comrade Jude Imagwe who noted that a larger membership of ASUU campus chapters had voted for the immediate call-off of the strike, stressed that the directive given by the government was not targeted to threaten the ASUU leadership, but designed to show government’s commitment towards ensuring that all university students return to school.

According to him, ASUU leaders must work in line with the directives by ensuring that all students get back to the campus as the government would ensure a water-tight security on the campuses, adding, “The Nigerian public should be informed that the government has met all the promises they made on this ASUU issue. If they have not agreed, there was no reason for them to have said they would meet their members and get back . It means there was an agreement that was reached.

“The Minister of Education announced that lecturers should resume, it was not in anyway targeted at threatening or compelling the leadership of ASUU to go back to school.”

In his remarks, NANS president, Comrade Yinka who maintained tha its association was neutral, said that it supports a just cause, adding that the association was standing by the government because it was working in line with its desire which was for all schools to reopen.

Education Minister:Wike Had Sanctioned ASUU To Call OFF Strike Or Risk Being Fired

As the face off between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities took another twist on Thursday, indications have emerged that the organised labour in the country would mediate in the crisis.

The Acting Minister of Education, Mr. Nyesom Wike, had ordered ASUU members who had been on strike since July to return to work or risk being fired .




However, the National President of the Trade Union Congress, Mr. Bobboi Kaigama, said in a telephone interview with our correspondent that the Nigeria Labour Congress and the TUC would intervene in the crisis.

Kaigama and the Acting General Secretary of the NLC, Chris Uyot, had on Tuesday called on the Federal Government to pay the arrears of salaries of the striking lecturers .

The TUC president said on Thursday that the organised labour was preoccupied with the resolution of the crisis and would avoid blaming either party involved in the crisis.

Kaigama, who said he had held a discussion with his NLC counterpart, Mr. Abdulwahed Omar, on the issue, added that efforts would be made to ensure that the matter was resolved without either side conceding defeat.

He said, “Well, we have to intervene in this crisis. I have heard what has happened. The NLC and the TUC would intervene so that the conflict is not worsened.

“We don’t want to blame anybody on either side; we just want to do it in such a way that there is no winner, no vanquished. Omar and I have discussed it.” 

ASUU STRIKE LATEST: RESUME ON OR BEFORE 4TH DEC OR LOSE YOUR JOB - JONATHAN

Jonathan has directed theauthorities of all the federal universities in the country to resume academic
activities on or before 4th Dec.


Jonathan said that any lecturer or member of the
academic staff that fails to
comply with this
directive will lose his job.


He directed the school authorities
to declare vacant any position of any defaulting member of academic staff.


It will be recalled that Pro-
Chancellors of Nigerian federal universities, on Wednesday
also called on all tertiary institutions in the country to resume academic
activities.

IYAYI’S FAMILY BEGS ASUU TO CALL OFF STRIKE, REFUTES N50B DEMAND FROM KOGI GOV

THE family of the late former President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Prof. Festus Iyayi, yesterday,
disassociated themselves
from the N50billion demand
from the Kogi State
government over the death
of their son, saying that no
amount of money can
compensate for the loss.

Meanwhile the Coalition to
Save Nigeria (CSN) has
appealed to the striking
ASUU members to call off
the strike action as a mark of
respect for Prof.Iyayi.
It would be recalled that the
Onojie of Ugbegun, home
town of late Prof Iyayi, had
demanded the sum of
N50bilion as compensation
for the death of their son.

TEARS FOR IYAYI—Relations
and sympathisers console
Mrs Grace Iyayi (4th L),
widow of former president
of ASUU, Late Prof. Festus
Iyayi at Ekosodin in Benin
City. Photo: Barnabas
Uzosike.

However, Prof. Robert
Ebewale, a cousin to the
deceased, told Vanguard
yesterday that it was
embarrassing to try to
equate the life of Prof Iyayi
with money, saying that the
family was embarrassed
with N50billion demand.

“No amount of money can
be compared with the life of
that calibre of person, so we
want to disassociate our
family with that. It is
embarrassing to us,” he
stated.

Meanwhile, the Coalition to
Save Nigeria (CSN) received
with shock the death of
Prof. Iyayi, Prof. Iyayi was an
accomplished academic,
author and unionist and a
detribalized Nigerian who
gave voice to the voiceless
and defended the
defenceless against
arbitrariness and impunity
by our public officers.

“With his death, the
Nigerian revolutionary
movement has been
decapitated as Prof. Iyayi
was one of the movement’s
brain boxes in the struggle
for a better Nigeria where
equity, fairness and justice
will reign. We have lost a
committed comrade and an
icon of the struggle for an
egalitarian Nigeria. He was a
true and authentic comrade
who devoted his entire life
to the struggle and died
fighting for educational
justice for the present and
future generations of
Nigerian students,” it stated.

The statement added: “We
call on ASUU and the federal
government to speedily
resolve the remaining grey
areas in their disagreement
to enable the suspension of
the current ASUU strike as a
mark of respect to Prof.

Iyayi”.

Iyayi's funeral fixed for 1st of December, 2013

The funeral of former Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) president who was recently killed in an auto crash, Prof. Festus Iyayi, has been fixed for the first week of December, a member of the family, Prof. Robert Ebewele, disclosed in Benin yesterday.

Ebewele who stated this when the pro-chancellor of the University of Benin (UNIBEN) Sen. Effiong joystickson Bob paid the family a condolence visit said the family would liaise with the university community for the burial arrangements.

ASUU President Nasir Fagge was among the visitors to the family yesterday to condole them. Earlier, Sen. Effiong who was led on the visit by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Osayuki Oshodin, said he was deeply hurt over the sad incident. 

STRIKE Latest: ASUU NEC meeting now to hold on Saturday

An impeccable source, one of the prominent leaders of Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, who pleaded anonymity because he was not authorized to comment on this yet has disclosed to one of our correspondents that the suspended ASUU Nation Executive Committee, NEC meeting earlier postponed in honour of Late Prof. Festus Iyayi, a renown novelist, former ASUU president and prominent leader of ASUU may be reconvened on Saturday.

He reiterated that the news of of Prof Iyayi’s sudden death came as a rude shock to the union; most painfully, Late Iyayi was on ASUU official assignment when he met his gruesome and untimely death, so there was nothing the Union could do to honour the late hero at the point than to put on hold it NEC meeting scheduled to hold in Kano. “There is strong indication that the NEC meeting will be reconvened on Saturday”. He further stated in strong term that unless ASUU leaders re-decides, the NEC meeting will hold on Saturday.

When asked if the strike will actually be suspended, he said: “I think so, judging by reports from the Monday congresses we held simultaneously, the union may suspend the strike on Saturday or Sunday.”

It will be recalled that ASUU had suspended indefinitely it NEC meeting where decision to either end or continue the lingering strike will be taken due to the death of Late Prof. Festus Iyayi, a former ASUU president.

Details soon... 

ASUU ISSUES NEW CONDITION BEFORE CALLING OFF STRIKE!

Ministry of Education, labour, Central bank, national
Assembly, office of the Presidency, NUC, TETF, TUC,
NLC must sign the agreement.

The members of the Academic Staff Union of
Universities (ASUU) after The president authorized the
payment of N1.1 trillion has marshaled out conditions
to be met by President Goodluck Jonathan before the
strike is to be called off.

The new conditions, includes 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.

The ASUU leader said that government meeting the
above condition, would give them the confidence that
the Federal Government knows what it is doing when it
signed the agreement.
He stated that since the Federal Government promised
to release N220bn every year for five years
(N1.1trillion), 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.

Strike: ASUU Begins Consultation Over FG Offer

The Academic Staff Union of Universities is set to convene its National Executive Committee this weekend to discuss the offer made to the union by the Federal Government to develop public universities, it was learnt on Wednesday. ASUU President, Dr. Nasir Faggae after a meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan which ended in the early hours of Tuesday had told reporters that the union would take back an undisclosed message to the striking lecturers. The Federal Government had offered to inject N1.1tn into public universities in the next five years. The Punch gathered that the union had concluded arrangement to hold the meeting to collate the views of members before a final decision would be taken on whether to accept or reject the offer. Usually, the decision to embark on or to call off strike is taken at the union’s NEC meeting. It was gathered that the meeting might hold any day between now and next week Friday. In the hierarchy of ASUU, the zonal coordinators after a meeting of the national officers are to brief the branch chairmen who would consequently call for congress in their respective universities. But a source who spoke on condition of anonymity said a meeting with the zonal coordinators usually take place two days after a major meeting with the Federal Government because they have to come from the nine zones of the country. He said, “There is a national strike coordinating committee comprising the national principal officers and the zonal coordinators which is the highest decision-making body. In the country, we have nine zones. After the meeting, the zonal coordinators will brief the branch chairmen who will now call for a congress to brief all members.” Asked if the strike would be called off soon, the source replied, “It is not a decision that could be taken in a hurry. All members must be carried along. We have a mandate which is very clear – that is the implementation of the 2009 agreement. Anything other than that, they will have to relate to members. The zonal coordinators will collate the decision of the branches and forward them to the national officers.” A chairman of a local branch of ASUU in a university in the South-West confided in one of our correspondents that the date for the NEC meeting would be communicated to all the chapters on Thursday (today). Another source said, “Before we embarked on the strike, there was a referendum. The referendum did not emanate from the principal officers but from the branches. Members must be briefed before any final decision could be taken.” Meanwhile, strong indications emerged on Wednesday that ASUU may soon call off its four-month old strike as the Nigeria Labour Congress described the meeting between President Jonathan and the leadership of the union as the most meaningful since 2009. The Acting General Secretary of the NLC, Mr. Chris Uyot, in a telephone interview with one of our correspondents on Wednesday, urged ASUU to explain to its members the offer the Federal Government had made to the striking lecturers in order to arrive at the next line of action. According to him, since ASUU is an affiliate of the NLC, it is the responsibility of the union to decide on whether to call off the strike or not in accordance with standard labour procedure. He said, “We simply advise that they carry out meaningful consultation with their members and ensure that whatever was offered was explained in totality to members of ASUU. “I want to say that since the agreement of 2009 was signed, and of the various negotiations that have taken place, this was the most meaningful of the meetings. “All discussions were taken aside and the issues in the 2009 agreement were examined, discussed and analyzed in totality. “Let the ASUU explain in totality the offer that was made to its members. Even the NLC has to explain to the members of the National Executive Council of the Congress before taking decisions in such matters. I can only say that calling off the strike depends on ASUU,” he added.

ASUU Unijos vow to continue strike despite Presidential Directives?

The University of Jos chapter of the Academic Staff Union of University (ASUU) has said it will not surrender, even if the receives the directive of the National President of the Union. Dr. David Janakam, the Chairman of the UNIJOS chapter, stated this in an interview in the capital city of Plateau State – Jos. “The National President of ASUU cannot ask us to call off just because the Union has met with Mr. President. We don’t operate that way. Whatever agreement reached between the national body and Mr. President will be a subject of discussion at local branches.
“We can only call it off when the local branches give their acceptance to whatever agreement reached with the Federal Government in their last meeting with President Jonathan. Dr. Janakam said ASUU members have lost confidence in the Federal Government when it comes to agreement based on the lesson learnt from the current strike adding that the minutes of the last meeting with President Jonathan will be critically reviewed. “If the local branches do not see any seriousness in the contents of that meeting, we will let our national body know of our opinion accordingly. If our response is positive, only then the national body can announce that we have agreed to resume classes. “So, as far as this strike is concerned, it is the members of ASUU nationwide that can determine the end of the strike, not the National President. Leaders of various chapters of ASUU cannot take decision on behalf of their members in this case. It is the members themselves that should say it is time to call off. So it is not a leadership thing” said Dr. Jankam. “I’m just coming back from Abuja where that National President and zonal chairmen briefed us chairmen of local chapters on their dialogue with Mr. President. Back home we will converge in our congress to discuss the issues. Whatever resolution reached in our congress will be made known to our national body. “This is going to be the processes for calling off of this strike. That was why I said this strike cannot be called off with directive of ASUU President. It has to be the other way round”. He said the congress of the UNIJOS ASUU chapter has been scheduled for Monday next week.

ASUU may call off strike next week •Demands slash of lawmakers’ salaries by 2014

THE about five-month-old strike embarked upon by members of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) may be called off next week. It was gathered that the union would conclude consultations with its members and may resume class soon. The union, it was also gathered, had asked the Federal Government to slash across board, salaries of National Assembly members, ministers and other political office holders by 2014. The demand was placed on the Federal Government at a marathon meeting leadership of the union held with President Goodluck Jonathan and other key government officials at the Presidential Villa, on Monday.
ASUU president, Dr Nasir Isa Fagge, could not confirm this, as calls put to him on his mobile line were unsuccessful, but ASUU source told the Nigerian Tribune in Abuja that the demand formed part of their deliberations on Monday to early hours of Tuesday. The source said ASUU had suggested this based on the complaint by the Federal Government that it had no money to implement all aspects of the 2009 agreement as demanded. Nigerian Tribune, however, gathered that branch chairmen of the ASUU had been directed to brief their members on the offer by President Jonathan, which is largely an addition of N20 billion to the N200 billion already agreed upon with Vice President Namadi Sambo to be released to universities annually. According to the fresh pact, the Federal Government had agreed to release N220 billion yearly to the public universities, beginning from 2014 till the next five years. It was also gathered that the meeting adopted the accord struck by the vice president with the union, on the need to increase the N30 billion already released for the payment of academic earned allowance to N40 billion. According to sources, government also agreed that the N40 billion should be regarded only as first installment, and not a once-and-for-all payment. At the meeting, the government assured that it would, among other things, revamp the public universities by ensuring that all those issues that always led to strike were dealt with once and for all.

PRESIDENT JONATHAN TO MEET ASUU ON MONDAY, NOVEMBER 4

President Goodluck Jonathan will on Monday, November 4, meet with the leadership of ASUU at the Presidential Villa.

This was part of the resolutions of the meeting between the ASUU leadership, Vice President Namadi Sambo and the Supervising Minister of Education on Tuesday as was first reported by this medium.

An official of the Vice President's office who pleaded anonymity told Scan News that all hands are now on deck to ensure that the universities resume next week.

The official stated that the Vice President and the Supervising Minister of Education have made head-way in resolving the strike, but the final involvement of the President is to show ASUU that there is the commitment of the Federal Government at the highest level.

It was learnt that the President has been fully briefed on steps taken by Vice President Namadi Sambo and the Supervising Minister of Education to get to this point. It was learnt that the President will at next Monday's meeting present to the ASUU leadership the administration's last concession for them to call off the prolonged strike.

A source at the Presidential Villa noted that if ASUU fails to call off, the Federal Government will then resort to plan B, which will be to compulsorily open the universities, using the instrumentality of the governing councils and the school managements.

Already, most of the governing councils of the universities have started meeting to work out modalities for the compulsory re-opening of the universities should ASUU fail to honour the personal request of President Jonathan.

Scan News gathered that the Supervising Minister of Education, Barr. Nyesom Wike and the Vice Chancellors of Public Universities also discussed the re-opening of the schools last Monday. Most of the Vice Chancellors suggested the compulsory re-opening of the schools, should the last ditch efforts fail.

It was gathered that security report available to the Presidency may have necessitated this line of action to salvage the universities system from the direction it is facing at present.

Source:- http://www.thenigerianvoice.com/nvnews/127859/1/president-jonathan-to-meet-asuu-on-monday-november.html