#InCaseYouMissedIt: Nyesom Wike condemns ASUU’s conditions for peace

The recent meeting between President Goodluck Jonathan and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) yesterday, churned out new conditions which the union insists must be met before the four month old strike can be called off.

The Supervising minister and minister of state for education, Nyesom Wike, who was present at the meeting condemned the new course of action, while meeting with state commissioners of education in Abuja.

He established that the Academic Union had given new conditions to call off its strike.

The Leadership reports:

According to him: “ASUU has given new conditions, after they had an agreement with President Goodluck Jonathan at the villa.”

 He said he would meet with the president on the new conditions by ASUU.

Among the three conditions given by ASUU in order to end the strike were payment of four months salaries arrears which accumulated during the period of the strike; immediate implementation of the N1.2 trillion offered by the Government to public universities, starting with the release of N100 billion this year and the balance of N1.1 trillion to be spread over five years from 2014.

The union also demanded that the salary arrears must not be paid in piece meal.

Meanwhile, the minister at the meeting with the commissioners assured them of the readiness of the federal government to support any state government in the development of its education sector.

The faceoff between the Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi, and Wike, yesterday, took a different dimension as Wike, walked out the representative of the commissioner for education of Rivers state.

 As the meeting commenced with the introduction of each commissioner and representatives, the aide to Amechi, Mr Okana Worgu also stood up, introduce himself an assistant to the commissioner of education for Rivers State.  Wike ordered him out of the hall.

The minister interjected and said the meeting was a decision making meeting that was meant for only commissioners and not meant for aides.

 According to Wike, “What an insult, not even a director or a permanent secretary but an Assistant. Must we play politics with everything?