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.
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His University of Benin counterpart, Dr Anthony Money-Emina, called laughable, reports that President Goodluck Jonathan will order the union members to get back to work today.
Similarly, ASUU, University of Ibadan chapter, through its Secretary, Dr Ayodeji Omole, said this kind of report would further dent the image of the federal 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 it wouldn't be intimidated into going back once again to the classroom, “unless our demands are met by the Federal Government.”
ASUU Uniben stated that the clear answer to the existing industrial action embarked upon by members was for the Federal Government to come up with a definite 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 get back to work, ASUU urged government to shun “authoritarian approaches to resolving issues in dispute with the union.”
Money-Emina said,
“The interest of our union has been attracted to news report in the media, alleging that the President will order the re-opening of Nigerian universities with or without ASUU from Monday.”
Professor Okerengwo in a statement said:
“Arm twisting never worked as a dispute resolution strategy. It's unacceptable to the union that whilst the President has invited the union leadership for a dialogue, some overzealous assistants to the president are clandestinely trying to jeopardise the process.
The surest and shortest route to industrial harmony in the university system and the fastest way of revitalising university education could be the implementation of 2009 agreement and the 2012 MOU,” the union said.
UI-ASUU, while welcoming an invitation to ASUU for a meeting today, warned it would be unacceptable to its members if government failed to come out with a definite agenda for implementing the 2009 agreement.
It said “The interest of our union is attracted to news reports in the media alleging that President Goodluck Jonathan will direct the re-opening of Nigerian universities with or without ASUU.
“We wish to state that whilst the President had issued an invitation to the leaders of our union for dialogue, it will soon be unacceptable to the members if government fails to come out with a definite agenda for implementing the 2009 agreement.
“Authoritarian posturing never solved and will not solve the impasse. We're calling on Mr President to tow the path of honour and respect the 2009 Agreement.”
It sounded a note of warning that “Any proposal not based on a definite acceptance of a platform for implementing the 2009 agreement will, instead, seek to impose a remedy regarding the impasse, and will not be considered a solution to today's crisis.”
Omole said it was laughable that a government which had earlier claimed to have released N100billion hasn't, in actual fact released even a kobo.
He explained ASUU as a body of intellectuals, which is preparing to pursue the revatilisation of public education in Nigeria will purse same to its logical conclusion even with the stoppage of salaries.
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