11th October, 2010
Five South East governors rose from their meeting in Enugu late last night without resolving the on going strike by staff of the state universities.
The strike began last July over non implementation of the harmonised salary ASUU national leadership reached with the Federal Government recently.
Chairman of the forum, Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State told journalists, while reading the communique, that the governors could not reach an agreement on the matter.
He called for another meeting to be held on 17 October at Nike Lake Hotel Enugu with stakeholders from the zone.
The forum in its earlier meeting insisted that ASUU and NASU of each state will negotiate separately with their state government over the individual payments, arguing that the Federal Government agreement is not binding on them.
In attendance were Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu; Aviation Minister, Mrs Fidelia Njeze; Health Minister, Prof. Onyebuchukwu Chukwu and former External Affairs Minister, Chief Ojo Maduekwe.
P.M.NEWS gathered that they attended to plead with the governors to shift ground and end the on going strike in the zone.
Addressing journalists after the meeting, Ekweremadu said: “We are embarrassed that our students are still out of school.â€
According to him, south east caucus in the senate received clarion calls on the issues of kidnapping in Abia State and the ASUU strike which they wish could be resolved as soon as possible.
The 17 October meeting in Enugu is expected to be attended by the governors, ministers, members of the national and state assemblies, ASUU and NASU leaders, church leaders and other major stakeholders in the zone.
Meanwhile, ASUU nationwide is expected to commence strike today to show solidarity with  their colleagues in the South East zone.
—Jude Orji/Enugu