“We are not making fresh demands. In fact, the NEC of the union would have suspended the strike, but the concerns of our congresses were that many of the things agreed to with Mr. President during the November 4 meeting him were not included in the letter signed by a permanent secretary in the Federal Ministry of Education, Dr. Mark Nwobiala,” the union said.
The union also advised President Goodluck Jonathan to expedite action on the endorsement of resolutions reached with him.
Such resolutions, the academic union insisted must be signed by high ranking government official possibly the Attorney-General of the Federation, so as to be sure of its implementation.
While warning that the resolutions must not be signed by the Permanent Secretary, ASUU, through its National Treasurer, Dr. Ademola Aremu said the N200 billion agreed upon as 2013 revitalisation fund for public universities should be kept and disbursed to concerned universities by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
Speaking with newsmen, yesterday, in Ibadan, Aremu faulted the Education Minister, saying he failed to tell Nigerians that apart from the N30 billion earned allowances released for university staff, the government was yet to release the N100 billion it announced earlier.
Aremu said the only thing standing in the way of ending the strike were the observed omissions, which once corrected and reflected in the new resolution may well signal the end of the protracted strike.
“They are interested in wasting the time and lives of Nigerians. What we observed does not require an additional kobo effect. The letter does not include non-victimisation clause. This is a routine when you negotiate any agreement. There is nothing that talks about renegotiation. We have now asked that it be included in the resolution,” he said.
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