URI:
   DIR Return Create A Forum - Home
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Examwizardss
  HTML https://examwizardss.createaforum.com
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       *****************************************************
   DIR Return to: Examwizards News
       *****************************************************
       #Post#: 189--------------------------------------------------
       Jonathan Directs Immediate Action To End ASUU Strike
       By: Ebenezer Date: August 20, 2013, 12:59 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday directed the two Federal
       Government committees negotiating the requests by Academic Staff
       Union of Universities (ASUU),to take immediate measures at
       ending theon-going strike.
       The Chairman of the Universities Needs Implementation Committee,
       Gov. Gabriel Suswam of Benue, made this known after a
       closed-door meeting of the two committees and other stakeholders
       with President Jonathan at the State House.in Abuja.
       Vice-President Namadi Sambo, the Chairman of the Earned
       Allowance Committee and the Secretary to the Government of the
       Federation (SGF), Sen. Anyim Pius Anyim werein attendance at the
       meeting.
       Jonathan
       Jonathan
       Also in attendance were, Ministers of Education, Prof. Ruqayyat
       Rufai, Labour, Emeka Wogu, the Executive Secretary of National
       Universities Commission, Prof. Julius Okogie and the Chief of
       Staff to the President,Chief Mike Oghiadome.
       Speaking with State House correspondents, Suswam said that the
       meeting was summoned by the President “to take some decisions
       that would end the strike’’.
       “The President has instructed us, as to what to do, and he has
       shown a lot of commitments to flagging off projects worth about
       N100 billion in all the universities in the country, about 61 of
       them.
       “So, we are hoping that we will be able to see the end of the
       strike very soon.
       “At the end of the day, we hope ASUU is satisfied with the
       measures that have so far been taken.
       “The federal government will also be meetingwith the
       Universities Councils and Vice Chancellors of our universities
       within the week towards updating them on some of thedecisions
       taken,’’ he said.
       Suswam said about N100 billion had been approved by the Federal
       Government to his committee to address infrastructure deficit
       inall the Universities.
       “The president has graciously agreed that in the first week of
       September he will be able toflag-off the projects.
       “You also know that the procurement process will have to be
       followed and these projects include hostels in our universities,
       classrooms and theatres, libraries and laboratories among
       others.
       “Some are renovation some are new and all the 61 universities
       are going to benefit from one project or another.
       “So, it is not going to be selective, all the universities are
       going to benefit from this infrastructural revitalisation of our
       universities.
       The governor said that the Earned Allowance Committee being
       headed by the SGF, where there were contentious issues, would be
       addressed.
       “As you must have heard, the federal government made an offer of
       N30 billion to assist the various Councils of our universities
       to be able to pay the earned allowances,’’ he said.
       The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls ASUU had rejected the
       offer of the N30 billionby government and stood on its N87
       billion demand to settle the earned allowances.
       Asked whether government would be willingto shift ground on the
       ASUU insistence, Suswam said negotiation was still on-going,
       “The federal government has opted to also meet with the Councils
       and Managements of the Universities, because Earned Allowance
       issomething that can be certified by the management and councils
       of the universities.
       “I think that the government has demonstrated some substantial
       faith,’’ he said.
       NAN also recalls that the meeting between the striking
       university lecturers and the federal government delegation on
       Monday was reportedly deadlocked.
       *****************************************************