ASUU: We must ensure strike never happens again – Gbajabiamila

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila has said that all the stakeholders in the tertiary education must make sure that the industrial strike action by academic teachers in the universities will never happen again.

Gbajabiamila gave the charge on the heels of the suspension of the 8 months old strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU on Friday.

It will be recalled that the Speaker had in the last one month pulled every string to ensure that the issues that prompted the faceoff between ASUU and the government which also culminated into the shutting down of the universities for the long period of time were resolved.

The intervention saw Gbajabiamila leading the House leadership to a series of meetings with ASUU, the government and its agencies.

The Speaker who however noted that the suspension of the strike was not an indication that all the knotty issues had been resolved also promised to prevail on the federal government to keep to its promises to ASUU.

Gbajabiamila in a statement personally signed by him on Friday was particularly elated that ASUU and the government were able to reach a compromise that resulted to the suspension of the long, needless strike.

He expressed gratitude to President Muhammdu Buhari, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha; the Minister of Education, Alhaji Adamu Adamu; the Minister of Labour, Senator Chris Ngige; the President of ASUU, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke and the leadership of ASUU for working to resolve the issues that necessitated the strike action.

The statement read in full: “I am pleased by the decision by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to suspend their ongoing strike action. This decision is the right call as it allows students at public universities in the country to resume their academic activities.

“I thank the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency Muhammdu Buhari, GCFR; Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha; Minister of Education, Alhaji Adamu Adamu; Minister of Labour, Senator Chris Ngige; Professor Emmanuel Osodeke and the leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) for working to resolve the issues that necessitated the strike action.

“I also appreciate my colleagues in the House of Representatives for the decision to intervene in negotiations with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). I am confident that the House will endeavour to ensure that the Federal Government keeps its commitments to the union and universities.

“It is regrettable that this strike action happened in the first place. It is even more unfortunate that it lasted as long as it did. We must make sure it never happens again. Our public universities should be citadels of learning and innovation, where young people discover themselves and reach for the stars. That is not now the case. Changing that requires that we admit certain harsh truths and take radical action.

“The suspension of this strike does not mean all the issues of funding, education standard, and student and staff welfare have been resolved. Therefore, we must not rest on our oars. Instead, let this be a call to action for the government, universities, unions, and citizens to begin the critical conversation about the future of public tertiary education in the country. I assure you that this is an objective the House of Representatives will pursue with dedication and determination.

“I wish our young people Godspeed as they return to school. I encourage them to ensure that the disruption to the academic calendar does not deter them from pursuing their ambitions and achieving their best dreams. May God bless and keep you, and God bless our Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

Vanguard