President tasks varsity teachers on strikes, improved education sector

President Muhammadu Buhari at the weekend pleaded with university lecturers to minimise strikes and back the Federal Government in its quest to provide qualitative education and right the prevailing anomalies in the sector.

Speaking as the Visitor of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) during its 41st convocation in Kaduna, the president deplored the incessant industrial actions of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), noting: “We cannot as a nation progress beyond the level and standard of our education.”

Represented by the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Abubakar Rasheed, Buhari said “despite the successes recorded by this administration in the last four years, government is essentially disturbed by the incessant strikes and threats by the various staff unions in our universities.”

He went on: “Obviously, industrial actions are inexorably inimical to the health and progress of any university system. It is particularly worrisome and disheartening to note the grievous loss in time and learning hours by our young men and women in their quest to graduate and join the nation-building efforts.

“ I would like to seize this opportunity to appeal to the leadership and rank and file of all university-based unions to be more sensitive in their pursuit of welfare and other demands in the system.

“It is only when there is peace and stability that government is able to consolidate the gains recorded in the advancement of higher education in this country. “Government is fully aware of the constraints and challenges in the university system and will be leaving no stones unturned to change the narrative.”

Besides, the Chairman of Aliko Dangote Foundation and recipient of an honorary doctorate degree at the event, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, implored players in the private sector to commit fractions of their profits to rehabilitation of public tertiary institutions.

Another awardee and former president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC, Alhaji Hassan Sunmonu, also appealed to Nigerians to join the crusade of revamping education nationwide.