As the ultimatum given to the striking lecturers to resume work or have their appointments terminated ends tomorrow, some of the universities are already preparing for resumption while quite a larger number of them have vowed not to reopen until the Federal Government honours its agreement with them.
Members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) yesterday stated that the threat option now arrived at by the government, instead of implementing the 2009 agreement and subsequent agreements entered into by it, can only be referred to as a tragedy to Nigeria and Africa.
The striking lecturers under the leadership of Dr. Nasir Fagge Isa, categorically stated that Nigerian lecturers starting from graduate assistants to professors are not begging anybody for jobs and so, the threat has failed before it was made.
The union leader made this remark after a meeting of top ASUU executive members held yesterday at the NLC Labour House in Abuja.
While referring to the resolutions of the meeting between the Federal Government led by President Goodluck Jonathan and ASUU, led by its President, Nasir Fagge Isa, as drafted by the permanent secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Dr. Mac John Nwaobiala with reference FME/TE/SS.IM/C.I/I/99, he said all the lecturers are demanding is just the implementation of the same resolutions and nothing new.
The resolutions of the meeting according to him includes, “funding for the revitalisation of public universities through the implementation of the Needs Assessment Report on Public Universities and Payment of Earn Allowances”.
That resolution further stated that the Federal Government is irrevocably committed to the overall improvement in the quality of education, especially at the tertiary level in the country.
The resolution, while stating that the agreements were reached in good faith between the ASUU and Federal Government, requested ASUU to call off its strike within seven days as agreed.
ASUU which agreed to call off the strike, has demanded government to fulfill her side of the agreement by paying the 2013 funding of N200 billion into CBN dedicated account and get the said resolution secured through countersigning by the ASUU and Attorney General of the Federation, the demand that has now resulted into a threat of massive sacking of lecturers.
The union is now insisting that its demand that government should commence the fulfillment of its side of agreement entered into by President Goodluck Jonathan and ASUU president, can never amounts to a new demand that should warrant massive sacking of the lecturers.
It, therefore, stated that none of its union members will obey the government order of sack since its demands have not been acceded to.
The union is, therefore, insisting that it can never be cowed by the threat of government to sack its members as their recruitment, promotions and sacking or retirement is being governed by the university status.
ASUU reinstated that should the lecturers be provoked further, the lecturer which will proceed to adopt Ghanaian option, will abandon the university system for government to go and recruit mediocre and nonentities from the streets.
In line with his position, lecturers at the University of Ibadan yesterday shunned signing of attendance register as directed by the Federal Government, vowing instead not to call off their strike until all their demands are fully implemented.
Students of the institution equally stayed away from the campus notwithstanding government’s directive on the reopening of public universities.
The lecturers, who held another round of congress, equally lashed out at Senior Special Assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan, Dr. Doyin Okupe, for allegedly calling ASUU “Enemy of the state”.
They urged the president to read the letter sent by the union to him in order to know that the union meant well and is not out to disrespect him.
It was also observed that the whole campus was devoid of any sign of resumption as all lecture rooms and theatres remained shut while there were no signs of lecturers signing any attendance register.
The lecturers at the congress resolved not to sign any register, insisting government must implement the agreement reached with their union (ASUU) first.
The institution’s ASUU chairman, Dr. Olusegun Ajiboye, said the union remained on course at ensuring that government funds public universities.
In the same vein, the Federal University of Technology (FUT), Minna branch of ASUU remained resolute in following the directive of its national leadership as the members have refused to sign the register opened for them by the institution.
The university management had issued a statement directing all academic staff to sign in their names in a register opened in the Office of the Registrar. The academic staff were directed to start signing in their names on resumption of duty from Monday (yesterday).
“Following the directive by the Supervising Minister of Education, Barrister Ezenwo Nyesom Wike that universities should resume on or before Wednesday, December 4, 2013, the university has opened a register in the Office of the Registrar for all academic staff to sign in their names on resumption of duty with effect from Monday, December 2, 2013,” the statement read.
However, the congress of FUT Minna branch of ASUU resolved that it is in total support of the letter sent by NEC to President Goodluck Jonathan and they will not suspend the strike unless the conditions are met.
A visit to the institution by Daily Newswatch revealed that there was full compliance by ASUU members as none of the academic staff had signed the register opened for them by the Office of the Registrar.
But contrary to this position, the University of Jos (UNIJOS) Chapter of the union has been urged to resume work with immediate effect or face the wrath of the law.
The threat, contained in a memo to all members of the university community, was signed by Registrar Jilli Dandam and made available to journalists in Jos, directed all heads of department to open a daily register for all academic staff who comply with the clarion call.
Meanwhile, Chairperson of ASUU, UNIJOS, David Jangkam, said until the national body of ASUU resolves to call off the strike, the chapter will not resume work as directed by the vice-chancellor of the university.
Jangkam said government, at the national level, had threatened to sack ASUU members who insist on the sustenance of the strike, adding “We are still waiting on government to carry out its action of sacking us. We will not be intimidated by the action of University of Jos; we are still on strike and no ASUU member will resume work until the grievances are addressed by the Federal Government,” he stressed.
Meanwhile, University of Benin, Ugbowo Benin has announced that the institution will resume lectures today, in line with the directives of the Federal Government .
According to the university’s Public Relations Officer, Harris Osarenren, who spoke with journalists over the telephone, an attendance register will be opened for lecturers to sign.
Osarenren also said the decision was reached after a meeting of the university’s management.
UNIBEN resumption brings to five the number of universities that have resumed. The other schools include University of Nigeria, (UNN), Nsukka, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State, Enugu State University of Technology (ESUT), Enugu, and the Ibrahim Badamosi University, Lapai, in Niger State.
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