Akwa Ibom Gov Demands End To ASUU Strike

GOVERNOR Udom Gabriel Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State and Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) presidential aspirant has appealed to the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities ( ASUU) to work out an end to the on- going strike action and re- open opuniversities so that students can return to schools.

In a statement by the spokesperson of the Udom Emmanuel Presidential Council, Mr. Bola Bolawole, Emmanuel said the time has come for both the FG and ASUU to climb down from their high horse and avert a disaster that may strike the countr y’s educational system as a whole, if the ASUU strike is not quickly called off and universities re- opened for studies.

“According to data from the country’s apex Bank, the Central Bank of Nigeria ( CBN), Nigeria’s Diaspora remittances inflow for the first nine months of 2021 rose to $ 14.2b, up 10 per cent Year- on- Year from $ 12.9b in

the corresponding period of 2020 and beating the World Bank quarter- onquarter projections for the same period.

“This is second only to foreign exchange earned from the oil sector. Nothing must be done to adversely affect its growth in the short- and long- term. If university certificates from Nigeria are no longer recognised, how can our people moving abroad for further studies and job opportunities will fulfill their dreams?

Meanwhile, the National Association of Academic

Technologists ( NAAT) has extended its ongoing strike by four weeks to further press home its demands from the Federal Government.

The association, in a statement, yesterday, in Abuja, by the General Secretary, Engr. Abubakar Yusuf, directed all the state chairmen to continue the ongoing industrial action for another four weeks.

The decision was taken at the 56th regular meeting of the National Executive Committee of the NAAT held at the National Secretariat Complex, University of Abuja.