There Is No Need For ASUU To Continue Strike – Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday said there was no need for the Academic Staff Union of Universities to continue with their industrial action.

Jonathan said this at the inauguration of the Federal Government sponsored-Transformation Projects at the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO).

Represented by the minister of education Prof. Ruqayyat Rufai, the president said that N30 billion had been released for the payment of earned allowances in all public universities.

The president said that the inaugurated projects were in line with the Federal Government’s commitment to providing quality education in the country, noting that the projects were based on the need assessment exercise conducted by the federal government in universities.

Jonathan urged the university administration to engage in research for national development, while stressing the need for proper maintenance of completed projects.

The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Chidozie Asiabaka, in his speech, expressed joy at the completion of the structure.

Asiabaka noted that the projects had gone a long way in tackling the dearth of basic infrastructure in the school.

“The dearth of classrooms, lecture theatres, power supply, student hostels, office accommodation, library space and facilities are major challenges my administration faced when I assumed office two years-ago,’’ he said.

The vice chancellor said with the intervention of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, the university got 1000 sitting-capacity lecture theatre, Centre for Entrepreneurial Studies Building.

He said the inaugurated projects are the new Engineering Technology, School of Environmental Technology Building, Centre for Nuclear Energy Studies and Training and the School of Agriculture and Agricultural Technology building complexes.

The others are the School of Environmental Technology building, landscaping of the campus and the provision of solar energy lights on the campus.

He also commended the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) for the completion of the giant student hostel building in the university.

He lauded the Federal Government for the release of N1 billion for the development of capital projects in each public funded university.


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THE Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) said on Thursday, that it will meet members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), in order to ensure university lecturers return to the negotiating table to continue discussion with the government.

 ASUU had been on strike since July 1, demanding that the Federal Government implements an agreement it signed with them in 2009. The two parties, government and the ASUU commenced negotiation to resolve the crisis, but had last week, pulled out of negotiations, accusing government of insincerity in the talks.

President of the NLC, Comrade Abdulwahed Omar, said after the congress emergency National Executive Council (NEC) meeting at the Labour House in Abuja, efforts were ongoing to convince ASUU to resume discussions with the Federal Government, with a view to restoring normalcy to the nation’s university system.

He pointed out that NLC was studying the bone of contention and was intervening to ensure that a robust discussion continued, which would ultimately lead to an amicable resolution of the crisis. - Nigerian Tribune