JISTMEE

ASUU warns FG against forced re-opening of varsities Nigeria...

BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME, OLA AJAYI & SIMON EBEGBULEM
AS the strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities enters the fourth month, the union has flayed alleged plans by the Federal Government to forcefully order the re-opening of the universities today, saying this will only complicate the situation.
Chairperson of the Uniport chapter of ASUU, Professor Anthonia Okerengwo, urged the Federal Government to toe the path of honour in its effort towards resolving the lingering strike.
His University of Benin counterpart, Dr Anthony Money-Emina, described as laughable, reports that President Goodluck Jonathan will order the union members to go back to work today.
Similarly, ASUU, University of Ibadan chapter, through its Secretary, Dr Ayodeji Omole, said such a report would further dent the image of the government as anti-democratic, cautioning President Jonathan to allow a sleeping dog lie by implementing the 2009 ASUU/FGN agreement which the Federal Government had already signed.
ASUU vowed that it would not be intimidated into going back to the classroom, “unless our demands are met by the Federal Government.”
ASUU Uniben said that the solution to the current industrial action embarked upon by members was for the Federal Government to come up with a clear agenda on how to implement the 2009 agreement and the Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, entered with the union in 2012.
Describing as laughable, reports that government will order the union members to go back to work, ASUU urged government to shun “authoritarian approaches to resolving issues in dispute with the union.”
Money-Emina said, “The attention of our union has been drawn to news report in the media, alleging that the President will direct the re-opening of Nigerian universities with or without ASUU from Monday.”
Professor Okerengwo in a statement said: “Arm twisting has never worked as a dispute resolution strategy. It is unacceptable to the union that while the President has invited the union leadership for a dialogue, some overzealous assistants to the president are clandestinely working to jeopardise the process. read more.