Assu and fg update

Academic Staff Union of Universities met across the
country on Thursday to consider the offer by the
Federal Government.
The ASUU President, Dr. Nasir Faggae after a
meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan which
ended in the early hours of Tuesday had told
reporters that the union would take back an
undisclosed message to their members.
The PUNCH gathered that the striking public
universities lecturers met in the nine zones of ASUU
with branch chairmen to discuss the outcome of the
meeting with the President.
The meetings presided over by zonal coordinators
afforded them (zonal coordinators) the opportunity
to brief the branch chairmen about the offer made
by the Federal Government to revamp the public
universities across the country.
The Federal Government had at the last Tuesday
marathon meeting agreed to inject N1.1tn into the
universities over the next five years. The money,
the Federal Government promised, would be
released at the rate of N220bn annually starting
from 2014.
The Ibadan zone of ASUU held its meeting at the
Federal University Abeokuta on Thursday while that
of the North Central Zone took place at the Federal
University, Lokoja, Kogi State.
Sources at both meetings said that though the union
officials were not happy that the N400bn per year
they asked for was not granted, they were however
happy at the sincerity of purpose displayed by
President Jonathan.
Though they expressed varied opinion about the
offer, they were unanimous in commending
Jonathan for being the first Nigerian leader to meet
with the union.
When contacted, the Coordinator of the North
Central Zone, Dr. Suleiman Mohammad declined
comments on the meeting.
Mohammed, who said he was attending to some
pressing issues, said only the ASUU President could
speak on the issue.
But feelers across the zones, however, suggested
that the lecturers might have accepted the offer of
the government.
Although branch chairmen still have to call
congresses, it was gathered that the union may
have made up its mind to call off the strike after
meeting with the Federal Government again next
week.
A top official of the union said "We are happy with
the humility shown by Jonathan to personally meet
with us. This is the first time a sitting President will
meet with the union to thrash out issues. Members
were impressed with him and the strong
commitment that he displayed. But some expressed
fear that the new deal could go the way of past
agreements that were not honoured.
Sent from my BlackBerry wireless device from MTN