ASUU-Fed Govt dispute‘ll be over in two weeks, says Oshiomhole

Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole has said all outstanding issues in the industrial dispute between the Federal Government and members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) will be resolved within the next two weeks.

Oshiomhole, who brokered a truce in the industrial face-off, said: "The future of Nigeria was at stake. Everyday lost in academic is a day lost forever."

He hoped that education will be strengthened.

Speaking when the newly-elected Executive and members of the Edo State Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) visited him, Oshiomhole noted that the nation’s future depended on credible elections.

He urged reporters to be factual and objective during elections.

Oshiomhole regretted that journalists were in the forefront in the fight for a better society but no one fights for their welfare.

Earlier, Chairman of the Correspondents’ Chapel, Mr. Adewumi Faniran, said the crisis in the chapel has been resolved.

He praised Oshiomhole for brokering the truce in the Federal Government-ASUU face–off.

Also yesterday, The University of Calabar branch of ASUU urged students not to hurry back to school following the two-week suspension of the union’s nationwide strike.

It advised students to remain at home and monitor developments on the suspension of the strike, to ensure that "they do not rush to school only to move out again if the strike has to resume’’.

The branch Chairman, Dr. Chike Ekeopara, said in Calabar that the advice became necessary, because the ongoing negotiations were not conclusive yet.

"It is true we are back at work, but I won’t advise the students to come back now, because government may disappoint and we will resume the strike.

"The wise thing for them to do now is to remain at home and monitor what happens during and after the two weeks,’’ he said.