Following the “comprehensive and total” strike declared by the Academic Staff Union of Universities on Monday, February 14th, 2022, the President Vision Africa International, Bishop Dr. Sunday Ndukwo Onuoha has urged the Federal Government to act now to avoid destroying the future of Nigeria students.
Bishop Dr. Onuoha, who spoke on Monday night while reacting to the strike action declared at a press conference by ASUU President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, said it is unfortunate that the Federal Government and ASUU, failed to agree on those contentious issues and avert the strike before now.
The Co-Chair Interfaith Dialogue Forum for Peace, who decried the fire brigade attitude to issues in the country, added that it has become an embarrassment to the country each time issues of strike crop up, stating that considering the notice of strike given by ASUU, the Federal Government ought to have addressed all issues causing the lecturers to raise eyebrows.
Bishop, Dr. Onuoha however, advised the Federal Government and ASUU, to use the period of the one month warning strike given by University Lecturers to address their grievances, pointing out that if at the expiration of the one month notice nothing concrete was achieved, the country will be doing a lot of disservice to the students who do not deserve distortions in the academic calendar.
The Methodist Bishop, also used the medium to urge the President Muhammadu Buhari led Federal Government, to, for the interest of the country’s education sector, find a permanent solution to the incessant ASUU strikes, stating that students themselves are beginning to lose hope in the country’s education system due to continuous strike action, advising that it will be dangerous to have students on the streets demonstrating.
Recall that the strike which takes effect from Monday, February 14, 2022, would last for an initial period of four weeks.
Recall again that ASUU had expressed grievances over the failure of the Federal Government to fulfil some of the agreements it made as far back as 2009. ASUU had on November 15, 2021, given the Federal Government a three-week ultimatum over the failure to meet its’ demands.
