Nasarawa State Assembly Cautions Against Sabotaging Governor Sule’s Effort

The Nasarawa State House of Assembly has warned that it would not tolerate any plan to sabotage the good intentions of Governor Abdullahi Sule in the education sector.

The Chairman, House Committee on Education, Mr Abel Bala gave the warning during a joint meeting with officials of ASUSS, NUT and NAPSST alongside officials of Ministry of Education and Federal Ministry of Labour and productivity at the assembly complex in Lafia.

The three unions: Academic Staff Union of Secondary School, ASUSS, Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT and National Association of Professional Secondary School Teachers, NAPSST, have being at daggers drawn over membership drive and union dues.

He said that the House would continue to effectively partner with the executive arm in order to take the education sector to  greater height.

The committee chairman assured both parties of justice.

“We have heard your positions, we have listened keenly to all your submissions.

“We however want to say that we will not tolerate saboteurs. We will not tolerate anything that will sabotage the efforts and good intentions of His Excellency, Engr. A A Sule, in the education sector.
“As His Excellency is doing well in the education, among other sectors of the economy,” he said.

Abel promised the affected parties on the matter of justice.

“I want to assure you that we will invite you again when the need arise as the committee will sit and look at the documents you submitted

“Because we will not allow your crisis to affect the education of our children as education is key to the development of every Society,” he said.

Development

The committee chairman urged them to embrace unity and peace for the overall development of the education sector and the state at large.

“Your division will affect the education of our children, productivity and the education sector in general,” he advised.

Reacting, the President Nasarawa State,  ASUSS, Mr Agbashi Gabriel explained that membership into the association is voluntary.

He also informed the committee that there was a subsisting court order stopping NUT from interfering in their activities.

The State President of  NAPSST, Mr Usman Joshua, alleged that the officials of ASUSS have over stayed in office for 23 years.

He also alleged over deduction of members dues, non-transparency and accountability by ASUSS officials in the state.
On his part, the state NUT Chairman, Mr Ishaka Isa, alleged that over stayed in office by ASUSS officials is uncalled for,  that ASUSS was not a registered body.

In their separate responses, Mr Yakubu Sylvester, the Director, Schools, MInistry of Education, Lafia; Mr Ogiri Christopher, President ANCOPSS, Nasarawa State, and Mr Dami Danjuma, State Controller, Federal Ministry of Labour, appealed for peaceful and amicable resolution of the teachers crisis.

NAN/Confidence Okwuchi