Mubarak Salisu Seeks Common Ground Between Federal Govt., ASUU In Students' Best Interest

The Senator representing Ogun Central at the Nigerian Youth Parliament, Mubarak Salisu has urged both the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to amicably settle the lingering crisis between them leading to incessant strikes in the education sector in the best interest of students.

He called on both parties to resolve and end the impending industrial action by arriving at a common ground in the interest of students to avert further industrial action.

Salisu said that another strike coming on the heels of the year 2020 paralysis of the country’s universities owing to an impasse in negotiations would leave behind dire consequences for the students and also not augur well for education in the country.

While saying that strikes have become a norm in the education sector, Salisu declared that incessant industrial actions do not only hurt students but also their parents who have been labouring very hard to sponsor their children’s education.

The Parliamentarian stressed that although ASUU was entitled to press home its welfare needs, the lecturers as parents, should approach the negotiating table with open minds and sincerity of purpose

Salisu called on the Federal Government to immediately summon an emergency stakeholders’ meeting in the education sector where lasting solutions would be proffered to challenges militating against the smooth operation of the sector.

According to him, “The university strike in Nigeria is becoming a norm with successive governments failing to meet the demands and fulfil the 2008 agreement signed by the Federal Government and the ASUU.

“This strike has continued to hurt the students more and their parents, who labour very hard and in the end have little in their pockets to take care of the needs of their respective children in Nigerian universities.

“It is in the light of the above that the ASUU strike seems to be a festival in Nigeria that happens every year leaving the consequences directly on the students to bear.

“It is an unarguable discussion that a four-year course now takes not less than seven to eight years for a Nigerian student who is battling tooth and nail to survive in the current economic realities

He, therefore, appealed to the government to fulfil its part of the agreement with the lecturers.

“Embarking on another strike at this point, is an ill-wind that will not blow the Nigerian Students, their parents and guardians any good. The incessant (ASUU) strike in Nigeria has become a source of concern and needs be nipped in the bud by the Federal Government.

The interest of the teeming students about to graduate and those waiting to gain admission should take pre-eminence in their quests to resolve all contentious issues,” he added.