ASUU May Suspend Strike Today

There are indications that the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in Nigeria may end its four-month old strike on Saturday, November 16. About 120 chapters of the union have voted in support of the decision to end the strike at their various congresses held in their institutions. However, the National Executive of the body has not ratified the decision to end the strike. A Pro-Chancellor of the University of Benin, Senator Effiong Bob, urged ASUU to end the strike in honour of Late Fetus Iyayi, a former president of the union. Senator Bob, who was at the residence of the late professor pointed out that Late Iyayi died while trying to resolve the issue. “ASUU Should call of the strike so that both the union members and students can come and give him the last respect he deserves during his funeral,” he said. Late Iyayi died on Tuesday, November 12, in an auto crash on his way to Kano for a meeting of the union. In a meeting with the leadership of the union, President Goodluck Jonathan had agreed to provide 1.1 trillion Naira (about 6.9 billion dollars) in the next five years and the balance of 62 billion Naira (about 390 million dollars) and allowance to each university. The union had embarked on a nationwide strike on July 1 suspending all academic activities.