President Muhammadu Buhari has admonished Nigerian university lecturers who have been on strike since February 14 to call their industrial action off in the interest of their students and the country.
The President urged well-meaning leaders in the country to prevail on the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), adding, “enough is enough”.
He warned on the “generational effect” of a prolonged strike.
The President spoke on Monday when he received some governors, lawmakers and other categories of dignitaries who paid him Sallah visit at his private home in Daura, Katsina State.
ASUU called out its members on a one-month strike over the non-implementation of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) it signed with the Federal Government and the insistence of the government on the adoption of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel information system (IPPIS) as payment platform for all federal workers.
The union has proposed the University Transparency Accountability Solution (UTAS) as its preferred platform for the payment of salaries for its members
It declared a two-month strike on March 14. The teachers are on the three-month strike declared by ASUU after the expiration of the two-month warning strike
But speaking on Monday, Buhari emphasized that the hiatus will have generational consequences on families, the educational system and Nigeria’s future development.
According to a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, the President said the strike had already taken a toll on the psychology of parents, students and other stakeholders, throwing up many moral issues that are already begging for attention.
Buhari noted that the future of the country rests on the quality of educational institutions and education, while assuring that the government understands their position, and negotiations should continue, with students in lecture halls.
“We hope that ASUU will sympathise with the people on the prolonged strike. Truly, enough is enough for keeping students at home. Don’t hurt the next generation for goodness’ sake,” he was quoted as saying.
He called on all well-meaning Nigerians, particularly those close to the leaders and members of the association, to persuade the lecturers to reconsider their position, and the ripple effect on an entire generation and the nation.
The President said students from Nigerian universities will be faced with the challenge of competing with others in a highly connected and technology-driven work space, and keeping them at home only deprives them of time, skill and opportunities to be relevant on the global stage.
Credit: thenationonlineng.net
