Uyai-Abasi Etido
The Prelate of Methodist Church, Nigeria, Dr Samuel Kanu Uche has urged the Federal Government to swallow its pride and have proper negotiation with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to end lingering strike.
He said this at the flag-off of week-long activities to commemorate the 180 years of the Methodist Church in Nigeria and 60 years of autonomy in Lagos.
In his words: “I would like to appeal to the Federal Government to save its pride and have proper negotiations with ASUU. The issue of strikes has been there for a long time because the government did not implement everything they agreed with the union.”
“To end the ASUU strike and any form of protest, Nigeria needs transformational leaders. We need a government that will think of what to do to improve society and not just their own selfish interests or group interests.”
“I will advise the government to recall lecturers and pay them their salary arrears. If they were on strike for seven months, the government should pay them because it was responsible for the strike. We must all bear in mind that education is critical to the development.’’
The former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Lamido Sanusi, also urged the Federal Government and ASUU to resolve the lingering crisis between them as the issue has the capacity to destroy Nigeria’s education system and development.