The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) Monday says it will not succumb to threat in whatever guise, vowing to push ahead with its ongoing strike until the Federal Government meets its numerous demands.
Addressing a news conference in Abuja, ASUU National President, Nasir Isa Fagge, decried the sack by the minister should the lecturers fail to return to work at a particular date, saying it a “gross violation of the principles of freedom of association”.
The Supervising Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike, had at a nres conference last week in Abuja, directed the lecturers in federal Universities to resume work latest by Wednesday, December 4, or lose their jobs.
But, Fagge said, going by previous experiences with government officials, ASUU members are of the view that there must be commitment at the highest level.
The Union President recalled the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim, once said the 2012 Memorandum of Understanding, a document authorized by him was not binding on government because it was signed by a permanent secretary.
Hence, the resolve that President Goodluck Jonathan should facilitate the resolutions of the following issues:
“The N200 billion agreed upon as 2013 Revitalisation Fund for public universities shall be deposited with the Central Bank of Nigeria and disbursed to the benefiting universities within two weeks.
“The renegotiating of the 2009 agreement in 2014 be included in the final document as agreed at the discussion with your Excellency.
“A non-victimisation clause which is normally captured in all interactions of this nature be included in the final document.
“A new memorandum of understanding shall be validly endorsed, signed by a representative of government, preferably the Attorney General of the Federation and a representative of ASUU, with the president of the NLC as a witness.’’
Fagge therefore, enjoined the federal government to fulfill its part of the agreement so as to end the crisis rather than issuing threats.
“We shall bow only to what we as academics are convinced will serve the interest of Nigerians and its people no matter their ethnic, religious or class origin.
“This is where we stand. We shall never be cowed. We are not against the reopening of the universities since we were not the one that closed it in the first place.
“What ASUU can do is to withdraw our services nationwide and that is what happened,’’ Fagge said.
