Strike:Senate,FG,ASUU Fail to reach compromise

By Henry Umoru & Joseph Erunke ABUJA7 The negotiations among the Senate, the Federal governmentand the leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU over the ongoing industrial action embarked by universities lecturers ended without parties reaching any compromise. The meeting which was at the instance of the chairman, Senate Committee on Education, Senator Uche Chukwumerije, PDP Abia North, was called to pacify the striking lecturers with a bid to finding a common ground. However, a source at the meeting revealed that all efforts to push for a call off of the strike proved abortive as members of ASUU stood their grounds. The source also said that for well over seven hours, Chukwumerije was literarily on his knees pleading with the lecturers to consider the plights of the students and call off the strike, but ASUU members refused to shift ground. The meeting had in attendance, Secretary to the Government of theFederation, SGF, Senator Anyim PiusAnyim, Minister of Education, Professor Ruquayyatu Rufai; Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission, NUC, Professor Julius Okojie and members of the Senate Committee on Education,among others.