Oshiomhole wades into Fed Govt-ASUU face-off

Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole yesterday waded into the-Federal Government-university teachers’ rift, raising the hope that he would use his labour background to resolve the dispute.

At his first meeting with Education Minister Sam Egwu in Abuja, Oshiomhole lamented that the teachers’ strike has dragged on for too long.

The strike began on June 22.

Oshiomhole will meet with the teachers next.

He said the dispute could be resolved, adding that the major issue is how to get the government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to resume talks.

The government withdrew from the talks in July, asking the teachers to return to work before the negotiation would continue.

But the teachers said they would only return to work after their demands are met.

Oshiomhole said, soon, he and Egwu would meet with ASUU and other parties to strike a common ground on which everyone can build on.

Asked how he will go about the crisis, he said: "I am a labour man any day any where and we will talk through the issues. It will not be helpful to disclose what we will discuss. I think everybody realises that the strike can’t go on forever".

The governor added: "Like any Nigerian, I am concerned about the dispute between the Federal Government and Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

"We simply can’t allow long closure of universities because the future of our country depends not on our liquid resources, but a function of our human capital.

"I came to dialogue with the minister because I have riends on both sides and I believe that we can talk through the issues and find a formula that will be acceptable to all the parties.

"There is no doubt in my mind that more than any President ever, Umaru Yar’Adua recognises that education is key to our future.

"I also don’t have any doubt that ASUU recognises that for a school to be called a university, there are couple of things that must be present including proper funding, good welfare package for lectures and non- lecturers.

"I am very convinced that these are issues that can be resolved. And by the special grace of God they will be resolved so that the universities can return to normalcy.

"I think the key issue is negotiation and the Federal Government is ready to talk, and I know that ASUU is quite happy and willing to talk. If we all want to talk, let’s talk through the issues and have them resolved in the interest of the country."

Egwu said the government is worried over the situation adding: "We never thought that this problem will linger on up to this moment.

"We in the Ministry of Education have a duty to appeal to ASUU to accept what has been offered while demand for increased funding continues.

"Government is ready to continue the negotiation even if it is tomorrow.

"At the point of negotiation, government is willing to shift grounds."

University students from across the country protested in Abuja yesterday over their demand that the government and ASUU should resume talks to end the three-month strike.

The students, led by Okechukwu Ebodo, a law student of the University of Abuja (UNIABUJA), said the situation was not funny because youths are now engaging in questionable deals.

Also yesterday, the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Samuel Odulana, expressed worry that if nothing urgent is done to end the strike, Nigeria’s dream of becoming one of the 20 industrialised nations by 2020 will be at risk.

In a statement made available to The Nation in Ibadan, the monarch urged the Federal Government and ASUU to resolve the crisis.

Olubadan, who observed that the socio-economic and security implications of the strike "are too numerous to mention," said: "In this age of science and technology, every hour lost because of the strike puts at risk Nigeria’s dream to become one of the 20 industrialised nations by 2020."

The Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) chapter of ASUU, the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) yesterday staged a peaceful protest to the palace of the Oni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuade.

They were also joined by the students of the institution.

The protesters had gone to the Oba’s palace to protest the protracted face-off between ASUU and the government.

Five chiefs from the palace interacted with the protesters.

Among the protesters were ASUU President Dr. Ife Adewumi, immediate past president, Prof Idowu Adepoju, Dr. (Mrs), Taiwo Makinde and the student union leader.

Dr Makinde urged the monarch to intervene in the crisis because students were being labelled armed robbers and prostitutes.

Also worried by the strike is the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC).

NLC President Abdulwaheed Omar yesterday said in Johannesburg, South Africa, that the congress is bothered by the "debilitating effect of the strike on students."

Abdulwaheed, who is in Johannesburg to attend the annual congress of COSATU, South Africa’s trade union, said the concern had made the congress to intervene in the crisis.

He said the NLC held far-reaching discussions with the leaders of ASUU, SSANU and NASU to resolve the crisis.

"When we rose from that meeting with them, we promised to reach out to the Federal Government to ensure they resolve the crisis," he said.