Discontinue Your Strike: Abatemi-Usman Begs ASUU

By Michael Jegede
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Vice Chairman Senate Committee on Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Nurudeen Abatemi-Usman, has appealed to members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to reconsider their position and call off the over two months strike, in the interest of the students who are directly bearing the brunt of the industrial action.

The Senator, representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, made the appeal in a statement signed by Mr. Michael Jegede, his Special Assistant on Media and Publicity. While noting that the demands of ASUU are legitimate, reasonable and absolutely in order, as they are geared towards ensuring proper funding of public universities in the country, Abatemi-Usman said the lecturers should consider the plight of the students.

“I wish to passionately appeal to members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to call off their strike action, which has kept students at home for over two months now. We need to have pity on the students who are directly affected by the strike action. I think that in the interest of these students, ASUU should end the industrial action while it continues discussions with the federal government,” Abatemi-Usman said in the statement.

The Senator, however, called on the Federal Government (FG) to yield to ASUU's demands as contained in the agreement it signed with the body in 2009.

According to him, “a sincere and judicious implementation of the said agreement by FG, freely entered into with the union, will go a long way in improving the quality of education in Nigeria. Hence, the need

for the two sides to quickly reach a compromise and allow the universities to resume academic activities so that the students who are presently idled by the strike can continue with their studies.”

SIGNED: MICHAEL JEJEGDE
MEDIA AIDE TO SENATOR NURUDEEN ABATEMI-USMAN
VICE CHAIRMAN SENATE COMMITTEE ON NIGER DELTA AFFAIRS