The chairman of the Committee of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities, CVCNU, Prof. Samuel Edoumiekumo has said that forcing lecturers to work classes would not be the best option to resolve the over seven months Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, strike.
In an interview with Puch Newspaper, Edoumiekumo suggested that dialogue among the various stakeholders is the way out.
He said, “Force will not lead to anything meaningful. It will not help. I’m still suggesting that all stakeholders should meet and resolve this issue amicably. If you bring them to school, students will just be roaming up and down, and you will cause more crises.”
Similarly, the National President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, maintained that members had declared a strike because the government had yet to meet their demands.
He said, “We have announced that we are on strike. If they want to reopen, they should reopen. They have taken us to court, and we have also appealed the judgment. Ask them if they have signed the agreements we had with them. Have they implemented our demands?”
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Meanwhile, the Federal Government has withdrawn the circular it gave asking lecturers to return to classes.
The circular signed by the NUC Director of Finance and Account, Sam Onazi, the commission reads: “Withdrawal of circular NUC/ES/138/Vol.64/135 dated September 23, 2022,” partly read, “I have been directed to withdraw the National Universities Commission Circular Ref: NUC/ES/138/Vol.64/135, dated September 23, 2022, on the above subject.
