ASUU Strike: FG Wants Negotiation To Continue, Briefs VCs, Pro Chancellors

By Ayodele Oni

The minister of education, Adamu Adamu, has flayed decision by Academic Staff Union of Universities, (ASUU) to stop any further negotiation with the present administration.

Addressing a meeting of vice Chancellors and pro Chancellors of Federal government owned universities on Abuja on Tuesday, the Minister said that the best thing is to continue with the negotiation untill all issues are resolved.

One major issue which remains unresolved is the refusal of the Federal government to agree to pay salaries of the striking Lecturers from February till when the strike will last.

“For me, this is a position I would have wanted us to reach after an amicable resolution of all the issues contained in the 2009 Agreements.

“It appears that we are running ahead of the negotiations but not for the right reasons. The President of ASUU has been reported to have said the Union would no longer negotiate with the current Federal Government.

“This position must be resisted. Government and ASUU have no option than to continue talking until our universities have reopened their doors to students, who clearly are the principal victims of the seemingly unending strikes.

“In the circumstances, therefore, all Councils and Senates of our universities are enjoined to rise up to their responsibilities.

“For me, the past two weeks have been a very dark period of personal anguish and internal turmoil. I used to deceive myself that in a climate of frankness, and with mutual goodwill, it will fall to my lot to bring an end to the incessant strikes in the education sector.

“This has not proved possible, or, at least, not as easy, quickly and straightforward, as I used to think.

“Distinguished Chairmen, vice-chancellors, I called you today not to share with you my anguish but to share with you the details of what we have done and what remains to be done.

“And certainly, a lot remains to be done. But for very different reasons, the current positions of Government and ASUU on the future of negotiations seem to have coincided.”