•Suswam enforces ‘no work, no pay’ on BSU
lecturers
the President of the Academic Staff Union of
Universities (ASUU), Dr Nasir Fagge, said
yesterday that the ongoing strike by lecturers
of public universities is a sacrifice for the
nation’s better future.
Fagge told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in
Lagos that unless the deficits in the education
sector, especially the university system, were
addressed once and for all, there would be no
development.
NAN reports that the lecturers, under the aegis
of ASUU, on June 30, embarked on what it
described as comprehensive, total and
indefinite strike in public universities across
the country.
The lecturers are asking for the
implementation of some aspects of an
agreement they jointly entered into with the
Federal government in 2009.
Fagge regretted that the strike has dragged on.
According to him, it is worrisome that ASUU
has remained adamant because its demands
must be met.
He said the industrial action was a sacrifice
needed to salvage the nation’s economy.
“I sincerely want to call on all concerned,
especially students and parents, to bear with
us as well as join hands with us in the struggle
to right the wrongs in our education sector
once and for all, for the good of us all and
that of the country.
“I know it is quite a difficult time for us but I
also want to state that what we are doing is
for our own good as well as ensure that strikes
become rare, as a weapon to get things done
in our system.
“We also want to ensure that there is sincerity
and respect for mutual agreements by parties
in order to attain a common goal for the good
of our dear country,” he said.
Fagge, however, hailed the Supervising
Minister for Education, Nyesom Wike, for
meeting with ASUU Executive Committee to
resolve the protracted strike.
Senate President David Mark yesterday urged
the Federal Government, the striking members
of the Academic Staff Union of Nigerians
Universities (ASUU) and the 36 states to reach
an agreement on how to end the strike.
The ASUU strike, Mark regretted, has had a
negative impact on the nation’s education
sector.
He said it has, therefore, become necessary
for legislative solution to be introduced into
the lingering crisis.
Mark spoke in Abuja at a two-day conference
of National Assembly and 36 States’ Houses of
Assembly Committees on Education with the
theme: Transforming Nigerian’s Education
Sector.
The government and other stakeholders, he
said, must understand that education is among
the greatest assets a country can bequeath to
its people.
Mark said: “We must place proper premium on
it by adequately funding it to achieve desired
results.”
Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam has
made good his threat that he would enforce
the “no work no pay” policy on the striking
lecturers of the Benue State University (BSU).
The governor said any lecturer, who does not
resume work next month, would not be paid
his or her salary.
Suswam spoke in Makurdi, the state capital,
when he hosted the university’s management.
He said the university would reopen as from
next month, adding that any lecturer who
refuses to return to work would not be paid.
Suswam, who said the state was not owing the
lecturers of the university, wondered why they
continued to be on a sympathy strike for
almost three months.
BSU’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Charity Angya,
who was represented by the Deputy Vice
Chancellor (Administration), Prof. Nicholas
Ada, told the governor that the management
had met with ASUU on the need to call off the
strike.
He stressed that at the time of meeting with
the governor, the management had not heard
from ASUU.
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