FG says it cannot meet ASUU's demand

The Federal Government has said it does not have the financial power to meet the demands of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, disclosed this on Monday, November 5, while addressing journalists in Abuja.

His statements comes two days after the union declared an indefinite strike on all federal and state universities.

He said the crash in the prices of oil globally has affected the economic fortunes of Nigeria including the education sector.

The minister accused the government of late President Umaru Musa Yar'adua, of making bogus promise to the union during the period of oil boom in 2009.

"Let me begin by saying that the issues necessitating this strike dates back to 2009 when the then government of late President Umaru Musa Yar Adua signed an agreement with the ASUU on funding of the federal universities in the country:

"However, international oil prices crashed in subsequent years thereby throwing the country into economic hardship. At the inception of this administration, the country's economic fortunes worsened, nose diving into recession, with dire consequences on all sectors of the economy, including education," he said.

The minister stated that the country just exited recession and is beginning to recover from low oil prices. He appealed to ASUU as well as parents and students to exercise restraint.

He called on the union to be mindful of the fact that other sectors of the economy were competing with similar financial needs.

"We must also be mindful that there are other sectors with similar competing needs, if our universities produce graduates, such graduates must work in other sectors of the economy which must also be supported by government," he said.

ASUU begins indefinite strike

Following the Federal Government's failure to meet its demands, ASUU declared an indefinite nationwide strike on Sunday, November 4, after its National Executive Council meeting held at the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Ondo State.

ASUU president, Prof Biodun Ogunyemi said all effort made by the union to make the government implement the agreement between both parties have failed to yield positive results.