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From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja, Gabriel Dike and Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin
Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, has described as surprising the one month industrial action embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Monday.
He said if after several negotiations between ASUU and the Federal Government, a truce was not reached, then the fault wasn’t on the part of the government.
The minister was responding to questions from State House Correspondents after the Federal Executive Council meeting presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
Adamu who said that ASUU’s decision came abruptly amidst ongoing negotiations said: “ASUU, unfortunately, they have gone on strike and I am looking for them because all the issues are being addressed. The last thing that happened was that our committee looked at their demands but there are renegotiations going on. They submitted a draft agreement which the ministry is looking at.”
Speaking on ASUU’s draft agreement, he said: “A committee is looking at it. Immediately it finishes the government is meant to announce what it had accepted. Then suddenly, I heard them going on strike.”
On allegations from ASUU about his absence from meetings, Adamu said: “ASUU will never say that. I always call the meeting myself. The meetings I didn’t attend were those that happened when I was in hospital in Germany. We want a peaceful resolution. The Federal Government is ready to meet them on all issues they have raised and if there are so many meetings and the gap is not closing, then I think it’s not the fault of the government. There is a solution to this. The negotiations are the solution and that is why I have said that I am surprised that ASUU has gone on strike.”
Asked if the government can reach an agreement with ASUU before the end of the 30-day strike, Adamu said: “I can’t give you time. I am ready to reach an agreement with ASUU now, but since I’m not the only one, I can’t give you time, but certainly we are going to reach an agreement very soon.”
On the disparity in cut-off marks for common entrance examinations across various parts of the nation, Adamu said the low cut-off marks in the north are meant to comply with the requirements of the Federal Character Commission.
Meanwhile, FEC approved the sum of N4,965,986,573.89 for printing of sensitive examination materials to nine contractors.
However, in his reaction, ASUU President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, faulted the minister’s claim that the union leaders went into hiding after declaring industrial action.
Osodeke asked: ‘‘Is ASUU hiding, hiding from who? Since the declaration of the strike, the Federal Government has not reached out to the union. If they want us they know where to find us.’’
He said ASUU leadership visited the Minister of Education at his official residence last Thursday, stating “we learnt the minister was sick, so we paid him a visit at home. So you can see why I am laughing when you asked me the question.’’
“They have our phone numbers and address of our national secretariat to reach us. We are not surprise, since the strike commenced, no government has reached us.”
Meanwhile, University of Benin (UNIBEN) students, yesterday, staged a peaceful protest over the four-week warning strike declared by the ASUU.
The students appealed to the Federal government to grant ASUU’s request in order for the strike not to disrupt their academic calendar.
The protest caused a gridlock on the Benin-Lagos highway as motorists were trapped for hours.
Security agents were, however, drafted to clear the bonfire on the highway and to ensure that hoodlums do not hijack the protest.
