Students may remain at home till 2014 as Minister calls ASUU’s new demands ‘outrageous’

The Supervisory Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike, has called the new demands tabled by the Academic Staff Union of Universities “outrageous”.

The demands which were communicated in a letter to President Goodluck Jonathan include:

1. Renegotiations and reconsiderations of the 2009 agreement will not affect the agreement substantially;
2. Payment of salary and allowance arrears to members without victimization;
3. A written commitment signed by the President stating that ASUU would  receive N225 billion annually. The commitment is to be witnessed by Nigerian Labour Congress president and Attorney General, Mohammed Bello Adoke.

After receiving the letter in Abuja, Wike said, “I will have to see Mr. President to see how the government can go about this development, which is not favourable. It is outrageous. ASUU is now making fresh demands and this will definitely need further discussion.”

A source in the Presidency speaking on the agreement said “The government is also weighing options on the demands of ASUU especially the aspects relating to financial commitment.

“You know, what the government spends has to depend on what it earns. If there is a binding financial commitment and there is global recession in the oil industry, will government now look for money at all cost?

“This is one grey area of the pending agreement on which the two parties must reach a compromise.”

An ASUU source said students may not resume the universities till next year.

“ASUU will not chicken out of its fight. The death of Iyayi has further deepened our resolve to ensure that government implements the 2009 agreement. This fight is for the university community and not for ASUU. Many people are insinuating that we are fighting for the 2009 to be implemented to favour ASUU. They can say whatever they like that will not deter us.

”Government knows what to do. But people in the same government are mismanaging public funds which can be used to implement the said FG/ASUU agreement. Many of us at the ASUU session at Mambayya House in Kano resolved that government must meet the 2009 agreement.”