The coordinating minister of the economy, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has called upon the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to respect her office and stop its campaign of calumny.
In a statement released to the press, the minister accused ASUU leaders of “distributing pamphlets and flyers with abusive and inflammatory messages against the Finance minister in mosques and other places”
She said, ASUU was “taking academic unionism to a new low and infusing it with unnecessary politics”.
The minister condemned the tracts which she said “are directed at using falsehood to demonise the minister as callous and unsympathetic to the plight of students and parents”.
She said ASUU was not being truthful when it said the minister had adopted a “take it or leave it approach” to negotiations with the union.
She said governments approach “ is focused on positive engagement and achieving sustainable solutions to the challenges facing higher education in the country”.
“Government has demonstrated its commitment to improving the university system. And it is even ready to do much more going forward. ASUU should listen to the voice of reason and the yearnings of Nigerians on this issue.
“Government is working hard to seek practical and sustainable solutions to the challenges facing higher education in Nigeria.”
“Already, President Goodluck Jonathan has made available N100 billion a year, in the first instance, to repair hostels, laboratories and classrooms and other facilities. An offer has also been made to ASUU of N30 billion towards their earned allowances. In fact, negotiations have even gone further than this.”
The statement added: “It is the first time, in years of negotiating with government, that significant sums of money have been put on the table for ASUU and universities on this particular set of issues and the coordinating minister is fully part of this.”