ASUU Strike: Federal Govt withdraws ultimatum

 

The Federal Government, yesterday, withdraws ultimatum given to the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, to go back to class or lose their jobs. The government said it took the decision not to enforce the ultimatum because it had recorded substantial compliance.

According to the Federal Government, the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, has confirmed that a sum of Two Hundred Billion Naira (N200 billion) agreed with ASUU at a meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan on the November 5, 2013 has been fully paid into a Revitalization of Universities Infrastructure Account.

Addressing journalists, yesterday, Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe who showed to newsmen the CBN letter which was signed by the Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr Tunde Lemo and addressed to the Accountant-General of the Federation, confirmed that the sum of Two Hundred Billion Naira was the balance in the account as required.

Okupe who noted that what the Federal Government was interested in was how to resolve the six-month-old crisis peacefully in the overall interest of all concerned, said: “Right now, the issue of ultimatum is not a matter for discussion anymore. There has been substantial compliance nationwide. If I say you must return to work on the 9th and 70% of the people that I am talking to have returned to work, that is substantial compliance.

“What becomes of the remaining 30% who did not return to work, are issues that we do not want to stop the wheel of progress in sorting out this resolution. We are not interested in witch-hunting, we are more interested in compliance and in the resolution of the crisis.”

The Presidential aide stressed that government was forced to issue the ultimatum which it was very serious about against the backdrop that it had explored all avenues which did not produce result. He, however, said that government was not interested in witch-hunting any individual, but needed to protect the individuals and the state.