The House of Representatives has invited the Ministers of Finance, Education and the leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, to address the issues surrounding the intended strike action threatened by the Academic Union.
The decision followed a motion under matters of urgent National Importance moved by the Chairman House Committee on Basic Education, Professor Julius Ihonvbere from Edo State.
Professor Ihonvbere explained that “ASUU President has recently threatened to call out his members across the nation, if all the issues, including those of unpaid academically earned allowances and the universities revitalization fund are not addressed within a period of three weeks.
The future of Nigerian Students once again, will be negatively impacted, if the impending strike is not nipped in the bud” he said.
While condemning the incessant strikes for disrupting the academic calendar and contributing significantly to the poor quality of graduates in the country, Professor Ihonvbere noted that strikes encourage brain drain, migration of students abroad and low world rankings of the nation’s academic institutions.
Adopting the motion, the House urged the government to urgently take all necessary measures to open a realistic negotiation with ASUU to stop the strike and implement the signed agreement in the interest of students, parents, the education sector and the country.
Emmanuel Ukoh
