An elder statesman and former National Publicity Secretary of the defunct Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), Mr Edward Ehimwenma Osifo has lamented over the lingering strike action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
According to him, the strike which he said was in bad faith, is making Nigeria a mockery of itself.
Commenting on the protracted strike in Igbanke, Orihionmwon Local Government Area of Edo State, Elder Osifo, advised the Federal Government to strongly insist on its labour policy of ‘no work, no pay’ to serve as a deterrent to any future decision of the union.
While sympathising with members of ASUU, the pioneer Bendel State chairman of UPN and former Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources in the defunct state appealed to the union to be patriotic to Nigerians by suspending their seven month’s old industrial action.
The appeal, he explained, had become necessary as it would go a long way in helping to restore sanity to the nation’s ivory towers.
“The lingering ASUU strike bothers me and our children’s education whose universities have been adversely affected since February 14, 2022.
“I see the ASUU body being made up of some unpatriotic Nigerians who ought to show exemplary sympathy for the students and the country in this time of need since one does not need to be told that Nigeria is at war on many fronts coupled with serious economic and security challenges.
“In these hard times, Nigerians are expected to be patriotic and not allow self-interest to divide us.
“Nigeria is in a serious economic dilemma that the revenue realised from production is used to pay salaries and service other recurrent expenditure while capital projects are executed through funds borrowed,” the legal icon said.
ALSO READ FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
- EDITORIAL: The Worsening Oil Theft
- Insist on ‘no work, no pay’ policy to ASUU to curb future strike, former UPN scribe tells FG
and then