FG expresses commitment to agreement with ASUU

THE Federal Government, on Thursday, said it would not falter in the implementation of the agreement reached with the Academic Staff Union of universities(ASUU) that ended the about two-month old nationwide strike on Wednesday.Minister of Education, Professor Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufa'i, who spoke with newsmen in Abuja, against the backdrop of the suspended strike by ASUU, assured that henceforth, every agreement entered into by the government with any of the staff unions would be complied with to the letter.She said: 'Federal Government is ready to dialogue with every union of the higher institutions and will fulfill every agreement entered into with any of the unions, especially the latest with ASUU.'Professor Rufa'i commended the ASUU for understanding, assuring that government would do all it could to implement the terms of agreement, adding that gone were the days where agreement reached with unions suffered implementation. The minister also appreciated parents and students who were mostly affected by the strike for their patience and understanding throughout the period the strike lasted.She said President Goodluck Jonathan was in full support of every term of the agreement reached with ASUU, as he was consulted during the period of negotiation.She added that it was in the interest of President Jonathan to find a lasting solution to the lingering crisis in the nation's university system. Rufa'i thanked the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim and the National Assembly for their respective roles in resolving the impasse.She said, 'Though ASUU was suspicious that government was not going to implement its decisions because of the dissolved Governing Councils who were part of the implementation committee members,' but re-affirmed the government's commitment, disclosing that the sacked governing councils will soon be reconstituted.
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