University administrators in the country on Monday expressed concern over the four-month old face-off between the members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities and the Federal Government.
The administrators appealed to both ASUU and the FG to urgently reach a compromise and quickly bring the strike to an end in the interest of the students and the nation’s education sector.
The National President of the Association of Nigerian University Professional Administrators, Mr. Samuel Mwansat, said this while speaking with newsmen at the ongoing annual retreat of the association being held at the Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijagun, Ogun State. He noted that the strike had dragged on for too long.
According to Mwansat, this is not an auspicious time for both ASUU and the government to continue to “grandstand” on a matter that has negatively affected the nation’s university system.
He stressed that the disagreement required “understanding.”
The ANUPA boss therefore enjoined the government to accede to the demands of ASUU regarding the upgrading of the infrastructure in the nation’s universities.
He said, “As a professional association we have a responsibility to this nation at large. We feel this (ASUU strike) has protracted quite long enough that I think that both parties should find a common ground.
“I don’t see anything impossible in this issue, it’s a question of both parties meeting half way. While we commend the government for the steps it has taken so far, there are, however, a few more fundamental issues that need to be addressed, like the infrastructural facilities in the universities. Whether you like it or not, that aspect of the demand is very key and I think that government should look into it very seriously.”
The university administrators called for sincerity on the part of the government in resolving the strike, saying the forced closure of campuses had continued to take its toll on not only the students but also their parents and the society in general.
