Lawmaker, educationist urge FG to end ASUU strike The Federal Government was on Saturday urged to end the prolonged strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in the interest of the citizens. Rep. Olayemi Busari and Mr Adeniyi Otunuyi, an educationist, made the plea in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that university lecturers, under the aegis of ASUU, held on July 1 started a strike it said was comprehensive, total and indefinite’’. The lecturers are protesting the non-implementation of some issues contained in an agreement the union had entered into with the Federal Government in 2009. Bursary, representing Egbeda/Ona-Ara Constituency on the platform of Accord Party (AP), described the strike as unfortunate’. He said that there was urgent need by the government to resolve the face-off between it and ASUU in the interest of Nigerian students and the education sector. Busari also advised the Federal Government to meet the ASUU’s demands by releasing N200 billion to them. He said the fact still remained that a day lost in any academic calendar could not be regained, adding that the trend was not good for the development of education. The prolonged strike is causing a lot of discomfort and inconvenience to parents and children. Government should resolve the impasse immediately in the interest of the students. " The problems of unemployment and crimes are on the increase due to closure of schools as a result of the strike,’’ he said. Busari said that most of the students were engaging themselves in nefarious activities due to the closure of their universities. There is need for early resolution of issues to end the strike for the students to go back to schools for the sake of their future," he said. The lawmaker said that more needed to be done in the education sector not only the universities, but in other sections. Also, Otunuyi the Council Manager, Ifako-Ijaiye Local Government Area of Lagos State, urged ASUU leadership to embrace dialogue toward resolving its industrial dispute with the Federal Government. Otunuyi stressed the need for both parties to go back to the negotiating table with a view to finding a lasting solution to the problem. He also urged them to see education as important to the development of the future generation and the country at large.
Posted on: Sun, 15 Sep 2013 16:09:11 +0000
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