FG, ASUU MEETS AGAIN NEXT WEEK

Academic Staff Union of Universities met across the country on
Thursday to consider the offer by the Federal Government.
The ASUU President, Dr. Nasir Faggae after a meeting with President
Goodluck Jonathan which ended in the early hours of Tuesday had told
reporters that the union would take back an undisclosed message to
their members.
The PUNCH gathered that the striking public universities lecturers met
in the nine zones of ASUU with branch chairmen to discuss the outcome
of the meeting with the President.
The meetings presided over by zonal coordinators afforded them (zonal
coordinators) the opportunity to brief the branch chairmen about the
offer made by the Federal Government to revamp the public universities
across the country.
The Federal Government had at the last Tuesday marathon meeting agreed
to inject N1.1tn into the universities over the next five years. The
money, the Federal Government promised, would be released at the rate
of N220bn annually starting from 2014.
The Ibadan zone of ASUU held its meeting at the Federal University
Abeokuta on Thursday while that of the North Central Zone took place
at the Federal University, Lokoja, Kogi State.
Sources at both meetings said that though the union officials were not
happy that the N400bn per year they asked for was not granted, they
were however happy at the sincerity of purpose displayed by President
Jonathan.
Though they expressed varied opinion about the offer, they were
unanimous in commending Jonathan for being the first Nigerian leader
to meet with the union.
When contacted, the Coordinator of the North Central Zone, Dr.
Suleiman Mohammad declined comments on the meeting.
Mohammed, who said he was attending to some pressing issues, said only
the ASUU President could speak on the issue.
But feelers across the zones, however, suggested that the lecturers
might have accepted the offer of the government.
Although branch chairmen still have to call congresses, it was
gathered that the union may have made up its mind to call off the
strike after meeting with the Federal Government again next week.
A top official of the union said "We are happy with the humility shown
by Jonathan to personally meet with us. This is the first time a
sitting President will meet with the union to thrash out issues.
Members were impressed with him and the strong commitment that he
displayed. But some expressed fear that the new deal could go the way
of past agreements that were not honoured.