President Muhammadu Buhari has said the constant resulting to strike actions by trade unions, including the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) as a tool for negotiation is disheartening.
Newsonline reports that President Buhari lamented that strike disrupts the life of the students and the economy.
President Buhari stated this at the 74 Foundation day Ceremony of the University of Ibadan held at the International Conference Center of the University.
Represented by the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Abubakar Adamu Rasheed, Buhari said, “strike actions only compound the already poor state of our education sector and erode the national and international reputation of our public universities,” he argued.
Buhari added that “It is disheartening that in the outgoing year virtually all the university trade unions; ASSU, SANU and NASU and NAAT declared protracted trade dispute, with dire consequences on our economy and caused unnecessary disruptions of the academic calendar of in our universities coupled with the consequent feeling of frustration and insecurity among our youths.”
Professor Rasheed assured that the Federal Government remains committed to the welfare of staff and students, saying “we shall continue to deal with the many contending issues in our various institutions within the limit of the resources available to the government.”
He, however, called on ASUU to reciprocate the government’s gesture towards improving the country’s education standard by contributing and seeking alternative dispute resolution means other than strike.
“On their part, universities will need to reciprocate the government’s gesture by striving at all times to measure up to expectations and justify the massive investment in them,” Buhari said.
