The President of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke has said that the union is willing to end its seven-month old strike if government shows willingness.
The ASUU president, however, said that could only be achieved if concrete agreements are reached with the federal government.
Osodeke gave the assurance in Abuja yesterday, at a national town hall meeting on tertiary education tagged: ‘ The Locked Gates of our Citadels – A National Emergency.’ conveyed by “Safe Public Education Campaign”.
ASUU embarked on industrial action on February 14, making it over seven months since public universities across the country were closed down.
The federal government recently sued ASUU at the industrial court in an attempt to end the strike.
He said, “On all these issues, we have given the government a minimum that we can accept, but they have not responded on issue of revitilisation, on issue of earned allowance and on issues that we have all discussed.” We negotiated and agreed that they should sign and this is very simple, not more than one day.” On UTAS and IPPIS , we say release the report of the test you did and let’s look at the one who came first and take it as we agreed.
”So we have given them the minimum we want and we have to come down and they can do it in one day if there is a will.”
In her opening remark, the convener of the Save Public Education Campaign Nigeria Mrs Vivian Bello expressed worries over Education in Nigeria being placed on the back bench or backburner. She however said, “As Nigerians we don’t give up, as civic groups we have not given up to intervene to bring the quagmire to an end.”
“Today we have mothers, fathers and even students who are in the centre of the crisis. People have accused the government of not being sincere.” She however thanked the Federal Ministry of Education for being present, adding that it is a sign that the outcome of the engagement would yield results that will put an end to the stalled education of Nigerian students.
She commended ASUU for its demonstration of forthrightness as against some of the accusations that people have levelled against them.
“They (ASUU) are feeling the pinch as much as every Nigerian.
“It behooves on both parties to do the needful; to be forthright with the discussion and the demands and be genuine to bring this to an end.
