Nigerians react to the one-week ultimatum given to ASUU by fg

Briefing journalists on government’s position on the strike, acting Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike said government has also ordered Vice Chancellors of universities to declare the jobs of lecturers who persist on the strike vacant with effect from Wednesday, December 4.The union had last week resolved at the end of its meeting to take a […]

Briefing journalists on government’s position on the strike, acting Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike said government has also ordered Vice Chancellors of universities to declare the jobs of lecturers who persist on the strike vacant with effect from Wednesday, December 4.
The union had last week resolved at the end of its meeting to take a definite position on the government’s offer and the strike after meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan this week.
Wike described the ongoing varsity teachers’ strike as an act of sabotage. “The continuation of the strike despite several meetings, especially with President Goodluck Jonathan is an attempt by the union to sabotage all efforts by government to address the issue,” he said.
The minister maintained that government had met all its commitments and obligations with respect to the agreement. According to his words, government took the decision to reopen the universities following ASUU’s new conditions which are “not tenable. “
His words:
“On November 4, 2013 President Goodluck Jonathan met with ASUU executive, labour union leaders from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), where all the issues were resolved and firm commitments made to address the lingering crisis. “It is noteworthy that Mr. President’s gesture was more than sufficient to guarantee the commitment of government to address all issues raised at the meeting with Mr. President.
“At the end of the meeting, the ASUU team promised to convene a meeting of its National Executive Committee to present the resolutions reached and report back by Friday November 8, 2013. It is unfortunate that while travelling to attend the NEC meeting in Kano, we lost a key member and former President of the union, Prof. Festus Iyayi.
“Government sympathises with the family of the late Iyayi and ASUU. It is, however, amazing that three weeks after the meeting with Mr. President, ASUU responded by giving new conditions for suspending the five-month old strike. I have never seen anywhere in any country where you sit down with Mr. President.
Nigerians are worried about the unending feud between the federal government and ASUU and have been expressing, via facebook, how they felt about the minister’s words.  New Media brings their comments:-
Oyinkuro Andaebi: Do they want God to come and beg them first?
Nwigbarato Dumlesi: Good one by the president.
Sijuwola Ayotunde: How exactly do you want the government to handle the condition?
Ojogho John: If, after the one-week ultimatum, the lecturers fail to go back to class, let the ministers, legislators, senators, governors and even the president go to their classes and teach. I have a better suggestion. After the ultimatum, let the federal government sack all the lecturers so they can have enough money to throw around for 2015 elections.
John Jesus: Good.
 Some of the schools have, however, responded by asking their students to return to campus . One of such schools is the University of Abuja which asked its students to resume today December 1, 2013. Nigerians are watching how many more schools will follow suit. Would the lecturers defy federal government’s order and continue with the strike? Or would they give in?
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