The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has said it is ready for the renegotiation of the agreement it reached with the Federal Government in 2009.
This was stated yesterday by the National President, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, in a chat with vanguard newspaper correspodent.
Ogunyemi, however, said the union would want to see which area of the agreement the government would want expunged.
“We are not aversed to negotiation and sitting down with other stakehoders to consider the way forward. Therefore, we are ready to meet with the team they set up to meet with us. When they are ready, let them call us.
“We have heard some people saying some aspects of the agreement are not implementable, we are also waiting for them to come and point such areas to.us. Is it that the facilities in our universities should not be upgraded? Or that our allowances should not be paid? Or that the system should be revitalised? Or that there should be no end to the proliferation of universities by states? Or that Visitation Panels should not be set up to examine the books of the universities,” he asked.
Asked when the ongoing strike would be suspended, Ogunyemi said the union was still consulting across the country and would soon get back to the government.
However, it was gathered that the union may get back to the government this week, as congresses were held last week by its branches nationwide.
Recall that during one of the meetings called by the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, to broker peace between the union and the government, Lawan wondered why government would enter into an agreement it could not implement.
Some people are also saying that the current economic situation in the country could not allow for the implementation of some.aspects of the agreement.
The Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, last week set up a team to renegotiate the 2009 Agreement and it is led by Professor Emeritus Munzali Jibril.
Source: Vanguard