Chairman, House of Representatives committee on reformatory institutions, Anayo Edwin-Nwonu has urged the government and Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to resolve their differences in the interest of students.
Edwin-Nwonu’s call followed the threat of fresh strike by ASUU over their lingering disagreement.
The lawmaker who represents Ezza North Ishielu Federal Constituency in Ebonyi State, spoke with journalists in Abakaliki at the weekend, stressing that the persistent strikes in Nigeria’s university calendar was affecting the careers of the youths.
While calling for a dialogue between the two parties, he urged ASUU to be fair and realistic in their demands given the economic realities in the country.
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He said: “About the strike notice served the Federal Government by ASUU, I hereby call on both the government and the lecturers to hold a patriotic and fair dialogue to avert fresh strike. The lecturers should consider the plight of Nigerian youths. The strike translates to a major disruption of our academic calendar as well as the careers of our youths.
“This call is necessary because the epileptic implementation of the academic calendar of our university system arising from intermittent ASUU and other strikes over the years as well as the COVID-19 lockdown have drastically reduced the quality of our education and affected the functionality of graduates of Nigerian universities.
In the same vein, the psychological impact of strikes on our youths is frustrating; and this frustration, in turn, feeds the youth restiveness witnessed in all parts of our country. That fact ultimately contributes to the security challenge we have in Nigeria today.”
“In all, I urge both the government and ASUU to factor the interest of our children as well as the realities in our country in the handling of their trade dispute to save the country another disruption in the academic system which will only frustrate the youth and compound our problems as a nation.”
