ASUU strikes inimical to progress of universities – Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari weekend decried incessant strikes by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and other unions in universities.

Speaking at the 41st convocation ceremony of the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, he said strikes and threats of strike by the unions usually delayed graduation of thousands of students.

Represented by the Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Abubakar Rashid, Buhari appealed to the leadership of ASUU and other university-based unions to be more sensitive in the pursuit of their demands for continuous peace and stability in the university system.

He said: “Since the inception of my administration in 2015, we have given appreciable priority to education and we will continue, undeterred, to invest substantially in education. Despite the numerous financial and other related challenges, government has not relented in its envisioned determination to ensure that education is revitalized in this country in the awareness that education is key to gaining access to global civilization in the 21st century.

“Obviously, industrial actions through strikes 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 effort.”

The Vice Chancellor of the ABU, Professor Ibrahim Garba, said the establishment of Distance Learning Centre and affiliations with many colleges of education and polytechnics were assisting the institution to absorb more students for learning.