FG, ASUU to meet again next week

Academic Staff Union of Universities met across the country on Thursday to consider the offer by the Federal Government.

The ASUU President, Dr. Nasir Faggae after a meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan which ended in the early hours of Tuesday had told reporters that the union would take back an undisclosed message to their members.

The meetings presided over by zonal coordinators afforded them (zonal coordinators) the opportunity to brief the branch chairmen about the offer made by the Federal Government to revamp the public universities across the country.

The Federal Government had at the last Tuesday marathon meeting agreed to inject N1.1tn into the universities over the next five years. The money, the Federal Government promised, would be released at the rate of N220bn annually starting from 2014.

Sources at both meetings said that though the union officials were not happy that the N400bn per year they asked for was not granted, they were however happy at the sincerity of purpose displayed by President Jonathan.

Though they expressed varied opinion about the offer, they were unanimous in commending Jonathan for being the first Nigerian leader to meet with the union.

But feelers across the zones, however, suggested that the lecturers might have accepted the offer of the government.

Although branch chairmen still have to call congresses, it was gathered that the union may have made up its mind to call off the strike after meeting with the Federal Government again next week.