Gov. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto state has added his voice to the call for the resolution of the intractable strike being undertaken by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
Gov. Tambuwal who appealed to the union to end the industrial action also pledged to engage the federal government on workable ways to make the lecturers resume work earnestly.
The Governor sued for understanding on the matter when a group of labor unions in Sokoto state paid him a visit to register their grievances on the prolonged ASUU strike on Tuesday.
Represented by the state Commissioner for Establishment, Hon. Sani Bunu Yabo, the Governor observed that
“for several months now our children have been at home as a result of the industrial action embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
“In as much as this is a valid and legitimate demand for the improvement of your profession and comprehensive delivery of tertiary education, there is also another side to the coin…,
” the crucial demand of national service, selflessness and uncommon sacrifices, you will agree with me, outweigh the often protracted inertia that accompanies such strikes as the one you are currently prosecuting.
“You will all agree with me that at this critical juncture of national development when our country is facing multiple challenges, it will not augur well for us if we continue to subject our children to deprivations and miseries that will make them embrace untoward attitudes towards life.
“I, therefore, want to use this opportunity to appeal to you to explore better avenues of realizing your goals and aspirations. Such avenues, as intellectuals, I am certain would not elude you.”
He promised that as Governors, himself and his counterparts in other states would not relent in working closely, as members of the Nigerian Governors Forum and the PDP-Governors Forum “in weighing in on your behalf with the federal government so that your labor’s worth and dignity will not be neglected and abandoned.
“As we move towards this onerous task of nation building and consensus, I once more appeal to you to consider the plight of millions of our children, your children; our future, your successors; and let us work towards overcoming this challenge,” he urged.
