Supervising Minister of Education, Mr.
Nyesom Wike, on Tuesday met with the
Academic Staff Union of Universities in
Abuja.
It could not be ascertained if the
meeting which lasted barely one hour
produced desirable results.
The ASUU President, Dr. Nasir Fagge
and the minister refused to speak with
journalists after the meeting.
Fagge did not respond to questions on
the outcome of the meeting and the
next line of action of the union.
He simply told one of our
correspondents that, “I am not in a
position to talk.”
At the meeting were the Executive
Secretary of the National Universities
Commission, Prof. Julius Okojie; the
Vice-Chancellor of the University of
Ibadan, Prof. Isaac Adewole and a few
national officers of the union.
Also, Vice-President Namadi Sambo on
Tuesday met briefly with stakeholders in
the nation’s education sector.
The stakeholders were led to the
meeting which was held at the
Presidential Villa, Abuja by Wike.
Other members of the delegation
included Okojie and Adewole.
At the end of the brief session, none of
the participants agreed to speak with
journalists when approached.
Other members of the team who came
out of the venue of the meeting a few
minutes before Wike came out had
claimed that the minister would address
journalists.
But Wike refused to answer questions
when he emerged from the Vice
President’s office.
He joined other members of the team
in a brief consultation at the forecourt
of the Presidential Villa before he
hurriedly jumped into his waiting car.
No official statement was also issued by
the Vice President’s office on the
meeting.
Meanwhile, the Pan-Yoruba Socio-
Cultural group, the Afenifere has
appealed to both the Federal
Government and the striking members
of ASUU to shift grounds in the interest
of the future of the students and
education sector in general.
This was contained in a communique
issued by the group and read to
journalists by its Publicity Secretary, Mr.
Yinka Odumakin, after the meeting of
the group, on Tuesday in Akure. It
expressed worries that both parties had
failed to shift grounds on the industrial
action which had been on since July 1.
The meeting, which was held at the
residence of the Afenifere Leader, Pa
Reuben Fasoranti, in Akure, also noted
that the development was not healthy
for the nation’s educational sector.
In a related development, the National
Association of Kwara State Students has
called on President Goodluck Jonathan
to take a pivotal role by personally
being involved in the negotiation to
resolve the strike.
In a statement signed by its President,
Ajadi Muhideen and Public Relations
Officer, Sulyman Alimi, on Tuesday in
Ilorin, NAKSS said such act by Jonathan
would further show his commitment to
education growth and advancement.
It hoped that the direct involvement of
Jonathan in the negotiation would
enhance the quicker resolution of the
crisis.
According to the association, Nigerian
students are tired of suffering
inadequate provision of infrastructure as
well as lack of motivation for their
lecturers and insufficient funding.
It stated that there was inadequate
lecture rooms in many tertiary
institutions, adding that under-furnished
lecture halls, poorly equipped or lack of
laboratories were some of the
challenges facing the nation’s
institutions.
NAKSS urged other labour unions in the
country to embark on solidarity strike.
It said, “The Nigerian students are
intellectuals and can see where the
wrong is coming from. We do not need
anybody to sponsor us, the ills are there
for all to see.
“It does not go with reason why any
Nigerian student will say a demand for
26 per cent budgetary allocation or the
duly earned allowances of university
lecturers being requested for is
unrealistic
No comments:
Post a Comment