By Daniel Tyokua
A group, Africa Youth Growth Foundation (AYGF) has urged the Academic Staff Union of Universities and the Federal Government to evolve measures that will end the ongoing strike by the Universities lecturers.
The Executive Director of the Foundation, Dr Arome Salifu said the ongoing industrial action by ASUU was killing the education sector, particularly in the aspects of engineering, research and development.
He stated that the consequences of the strike were enormous, and the body had no choice than to but to plead with all parties to sheath their swords for the good of the students and education sector.
Briefing journalists in Abuja, yesterday, urged the union to consider finding a middle ground in all that has been said and agreed in the negotiations with government and other stakeholders in the interest of national cohesion and posterity.
Salifu recommended that the government put empathy for the students first, it should take into cognizance the fact that the human capital development gap is widening. The students are going to be rushed through their courses.
The Executive Director explained that the foundation was not apportioning blame but is concerned with how best ASUU and FG would end the ongoing face-off.
Recall that the ongoing strike by Academic Staff Union of Universities has entered its seven months. The strike started in February, 2022.
Salifu said: “The ongoing industrial action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities is crippling the education sector, particularly in the areas of engineering, research and development.
“One of the consequences of this is the workforce gap it would create in the future. Statistics have it that it would take Africa, Nigeria inclusive, 250 years to get to the current development level of the United States of America.
“These include trained workforce and human capital development Nigeria being the giant of Africa, is trapped in the circle of unending stoppages in the process of developing its workforce. This is a huge setback for Africa.
“ASUU and the government have been in negotiations, accusations and counter accusations over the strike. In all of these, our children are suffering and languishing at home”
