FG TO MEET WITH ASUU TODAY

THE Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, will meet today on the ongoing strike embarked upon by university lecturers over the non- implementation of the 2009 FG/ASUU agreement.

This came against the backdrop of Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu’s denial of a newspaper report that the Federal Government agreement with ASUU could not work.
The minister said he never made such a statement and that he only appealed to the union to return to the classrooms while negotiations continued.
Last week, the two opposing sides had met with the Senate and House of Representatives Joint Committee on Education to find a solution to the crisis, so students could go back to school, but the meeting ended in deadlock and the two groups were told to go back and review their positions to come back on a latter date.
But the Minister of Education, Professor Ruqayyatu Rufa’I, while fielding questions from newsmen, yesterday, disclosed that the Federal Government had no other option than to meet with the union to resolve the crisis, so students can return to school.
Prof. Rufa’I said:   “Government has no option but to make efforts to resolve ASUU crisis. Mr. President is concerned, everybody is concerned, definitely, efforts will have to be made to have students back in classrooms.
“So we are pleading with our colleagues in ASUU to call off the strike but we are meeting with them, we are meeting tomorrow (today).
President of Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, Dr. Nasir Fagge, has said Nigeria’s economy had been taken over by Chinese as leaders in Nigeria have refused to provide quality education to the people, while the Chinese government trained its people in all sectors with the necessary facilities.
Dr. Fagge in an interview with Vanguard said Nigeria’s economy will continue to dwindle except leaders of the country provided universities with adequate facilities to give qualitative education to the youths