ASUU: Nigerians appeal to FG to meet demands

Bisi ABASS

The Federal Government has been urged to meet the demands of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to end the lecturers ongoing strike.

Some Nigerians on Friday in Abuja argued that the incessant strike was not good for the education, saying it had stalled the academic progress of many students.

Mr Mark Asekhemhe, a student said the ongoing strike had impacted negatively on academic activities in universities. He said that strike was an `old way of cajoling the government in meeting the demands of ASUU’.

Asekhemhe said the strike would reduce the academic performance of students in as it does not give them the opportunity to adequately prepare for exam.

He said it would also disrupt the nation’s university academic calendar.“Embarking on a strike is a major factor that encourages student to be lazy because it prolongs required academic session for students,’’ he said.

A lecturer form Citi Polytechnic, Abuja, Mr Samuel Onime, urged the Federal Government to continue to dialogue with ASUU with a view to meeting the teachers’ demands.

“Constant dialogue by both parties will go a long way to resolve the FG/ASUU disagreement and ensure that students are back to classes,’’ he said.

According to him, embarking on strike has the tendency of exposing students to criminal activities and worsens the security challenge in the country.

Onime, therefore, advised students to engage in acquiring skills and learning trades to keep them busy pending on when the strike would be call off.

Miss Hope Opumo, a student, urged the two parties to continue to dialogue until all their differences were resolved and future strikes averted.

Recall that the university lectures are on one month strike to press home their demands for improved teaching and learning environment and their welfare.