Kenneth Udeh from Abuja
The Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu has one again appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene in the ongoing strike by members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
Kalu had in a statement issued early this month beckoned the Federal government to re-open negotiations with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in order to end the over six months industrial action.
Senator in statement called on the federal government to also endeavour implement the signed agreements with the lecturers in the interest of students, their parents, the education sector and the country at large.
Mr Kalu described as worrisome the continued brain-drain in the country, which he said had contributed to poor quality of Nigerian graduates.
However Kalu, in a post on his verified Facebook page on Wednesday afternoon urged President Buhari to take decisive measures on his Ministers to end the strike so that students return back to campus. Kalu added that he prevented teachers from strike actions when he governed Abia State through investment in education. The Abia-North Senator also stressed that as legislator his capacity to end the strike is limited based on his constitutional powers.
He wrote, “I appeal to president Muhammadu Buhari to put more pressure on his Ministers and get the students back to class. ASUU should also make the negotiation easier. A lot of people from my constituency are out of school due to the ongoing strike. They have been on me and it gets me more worried.
“I am only a legislator and my powers are limited. When I was Governor, I never for once allowed the schools in Abia go on strike.
“Life is about negotiation and I believe that the Federal Government and ASUU can end this strike today.
“Nothing derails a country like lack of Education; it’s worse than insecurity”.
Recall that that academic activities in the government-owned universities have been shut down in the country since lecturers boycotted classrooms since February 14.
Occasioned by the development the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Monday began a two-day protest across the country over the failure of the federal government to meet the demands of the Academic union.
