Professor Suleyman Age Abdulkareem, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, has expressed total displeasure over the 12-week extension of the warning strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, in Nigeria’s public universities.
Professor Abdulkareem, who is also the Chairman of the Committee of Vice-Chancellors of Nigeria’s Federal Universities, said the development would further slow down Nigeria’s progress.
He urged the warring parties, the Federal Government and ASUU, to resolve the crisis for normalcy to return to the country’s ivory towers.
“ASUU had originally been on a month warning strike and rolled the strike over in the month of March for another two months before it now announced additional three months, all because the Federal government did not yield to its demands, which all bother on money,” he stated.
The VC noted that it was unfortunate that it is the students who are directly affected by the academic disruption and their parents that will bear all the consequences of the development.
“Students staying at home when they are expected to be in class studying, even for a day, let alone for many months as the current case in Nigeria’s public universities, is not a good omen for any serious country,” Professor Abdulkareem declared.
He, therefore, suggested that it would not be out of place if the Federal Government could by all means even if it will involve borrowing, to look for money and address ASUU’s concerns permanently.
