ASUU/NEC Meets Tomorrow In Minna

The stage is set for the striking Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to call off the over five month old strike as the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the union holds a crucial in Minna today (Monday) to rectify the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with the federal government.

The meeting which is being hosted by Federal University of Technology (FUT) Minna branch of the union was in fulfillment of the one week promised by ASUU President, Dr. Nasir Isa Fagge last Wednesday after the signing of the MoU with the federal government that members will meet to decide to call off the strike.

Like the last ASUU NEC meeting in Kano that was shrouded in high secrecy, the venue of today's meeting is kept to only members of NEC, as the meeting may not be holding in either Bosso or Gida Kwano campuses of the University.

The agenda of the NEC meeting was also not made public, but a source within the union said that the meeting will among other things consider the MoU, the leadership will present documents to show government's commitment, assess the impact of the industrial action and map out strategies on how to monitor and ensure implementation of the documented agreement.

A NEC member who spoke with our correspondent in confidence said, "we are here essentially to look into the MoU as ASUU President promised last Wednesday that members will review the development and decide to call off the strike. The meeting will also fashion out strategies for monitoring the implementation of the MoU".

Asked if the meeting will be calling off the strike, our source said, "I may not be able to answer that but my thinking which is personal is that, if our leaders could sign the MoU with government last week, I think we are close to a truce".

ASUU President had on Wednesday also gave hint of possible cessation of the action. According to Fagge after signing the MoU, "Within one week our members will meet and decide to call off the strike. We have a document here which shows that government is committed and all the things we demanded are in the letter.

"We will now take this document to our members and we are confident that our members will do the appropriate thing".
Efforts to reach ASUU President and the FUT Minna branch chairperson, Dr. Abdulfatai Jimoh failed. None of them could be reached for comment, but as at the time of filling the report yesterday about 30 members of the NEC were already in Minna for the meeting.

Federal government on Wednesday shifted from its hardline to sign an MoU at a meeting brokered by Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to implement decision reached with President Goodluck Jonathan during the historic 15 hour meeting with the union leaders.

Lecturers in all publicly owned universities embarked on an indefinite strike on the 2nd of July, following the refusal of federal government to fulfill the 2009 agreement it had with the union and non-implementation of 2012 Mou.

The action that was climaxed when federal government gave a December 4 ultimatum for the striking teachers to return to classrooms or face mass sack.
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Obasanjo To Jonathan: ‘Keep Your Reply, Save Nigeria!

As the Presidency prepares a reply to the 18-page letter written by former President Olusegun Obasanjo to President Goodluck Jonathan on the state of the nation, indications emerged, yesterday, that the former leader was not expecting any reply but action from Jonathan.

A competent source told Sunday Vanguard that Obasanjo was more interested in Jonathan addressing the core issues he raised in his letter rather than getting a reply to his damning missive, entitled, 'Before it is too late'.

The source, which also denied any breakfast meeting between Obasanjo and Jonathan in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, said the story was made up by those who tried to play down the importance of the former leader's letter.

The source said,"The truth of the matter is that former President Obasanjo is not expecting President Jonathan to reply him. Absolutely no. The President did not consider it needful to respond to previous letters privately written to him by the former head of state and he does not expect any reply to this one.

"I can tell you that Obasanjo wrote the letter with the best intentions for Jonathan and Nigeria and what he wants from the President is courageous and timely actions to save Nigeria from the brink. That's all.

"Obasanjo will be a happy Nigerian if appropriate steps are taken by President Jonathan to address the burning issues of corruption and other challenges that threaten to bring this country down.

"There is absolutely no reason to expect a reply from the Presidency when previous letters written to him were not even acknowledged."
It was however learnt, at the weekend, that presidential aides have drafted a response to Obasanjo's letter. The response was said to be awaiting Jonathan's approval.

Asked to justify the breakfast parley between the former President and Jonathan in Kenya on the day the bromide of Obasanjo's letter was feasted on by the media, the source said there was no meeting between the two leaders.

The source said that Obasanjo and Jonathan only met by chance and exchanged pleasantries as they lodged in the same hotel in Nairobi.
Obasanjo stirred controversy when he wrote a letter to Jonathan drawing his attention to myriad of issues capable of taking Nigeria to the brink if not addressed.

But the Presidency fired back, describing the letter as inciting, provocative and self-serving. Presidential spokesman, Reuben Abati, who's issued a statement, indicated that Jonathan would make a formal response but did not say when he would do so.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/12/obasanjo-fires-warns-jonathan-keep-reply-save-nigeria/

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