•Suswam enforces ‘no work, no pay’ on BSU lecturers
the President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Dr Nasir Fagge, said yesterday that the ongoing strike by lecturers of public universities is a sacrifice for the nation’s better future.
Fagge told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that unless the deficits in the education sector, especially the university system, were addressed once and for all, there would be no development.
NAN reports that the lecturers, under the aegis of ASUU, on June 30, embarked on what it described as comprehensive, total and indefinite strike in public universities across the country.
The lecturers are asking for the implementation of some aspects of an agreement they jointly entered into with the Federal government in 2009.
Fagge regretted that the strike has dragged on.
According to him, it is worrisome that ASUU has remained adamant because its demands must be met.
He said the industrial action was a sacrifice needed to salvage the nation’s economy.
“I sincerely want to call on all concerned, especially students and parents, to bear with us as well as join hands with us in the struggle to right the wrongs in our education sector once and for all, for the good of us all and that of the country.
“I know it is quite a difficult time for us but I also want to state that what we are doing is for our own good as well as ensure that strikes become rare, as a weapon to get things done in our system.
“We also want to ensure that there is sincerity and respect for mutual agreements by parties in order to attain a common goal for the good of our dear country,” he said.
Fagge, however, hailed the Supervising Minister for Education, Nyesom Wike, for meeting with ASUU Executive Committee to resolve the protracted strike.
Senate President David Mark yesterday urged the Federal Government, the striking members of the Academic Staff Union of Nigerians Universities (ASUU) and the 36 states to reach an agreement on how to end the strike.
The ASUU strike, Mark regretted, has had a negative impact on the nation’s education sector.
He said it has, therefore, become necessary for legislative solution to be introduced into the lingering crisis.
Mark spoke in Abuja at a two-day conference of National Assembly and 36 States’ Houses of Assembly Committees on Education with the theme: Transforming Nigerian’s Education Sector.
The government and other stakeholders, he said, must understand that education is among the greatest assets a country can bequeath to its people.
Mark said: “We must place proper premium on it by adequately funding it to achieve desired results.”
Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam has made good his threat that he would enforce the “no work no pay” policy on the striking lecturers of the Benue State University (BSU).
The governor said any lecturer, who does not resume work next month, would not be paid his or her salary.
Suswam spoke in Makurdi, the state capital, when he hosted the university’s management.
He said the university would reopen as from next month, adding that any lecturer who refuses to return to work would not be paid.
Suswam, who said the state was not owing the lecturers of the university, wondered why they continued to be on a sympathy strike for almost three months.
BSU’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Charity Angya, who was represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration), Prof. Nicholas Ada, told the governor that the management had met with ASUU on the need to call off the strike.
He stressed that at the time of meeting with the governor, the management had not heard from ASUU.
