Some parents in Oyo State have appealed to the Federal Government and striking unions in Federal Universities to resolve the lingering crisis that has crippled academic activities since its commencement on Monday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that members of Senior Staff Association of University, and Non Academic Staff Union (SSANU, NASU) on Monday embarked on a three day warning strike to press home their demands.
NAN recalls that top of their grievances are the exclusion of its members from the workings of the National University Pension Company (NUPENCO), solely operated by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
Others are the allocation of the 80 per cent of the money released by the federal government as earned allowances to ASUU while the three non academic unions got 20 per cent.
The SSANU and NASU operating under the Joint Action Committee said they were rejecting the 20 per cent earned allowance allocated to them.
They however, called on the federal government to, as a matter of urgency, release the N30 billion to the non teaching staff as earned allowances for the period of 2009 and 2016.
Some parents, who reacted to the industrial action, told NAN in separate interviews that government must quickly intervene to resolving the impasse.
A retired principal, Mrs Mutunrayo Adisa, appealed to the Federal government to call for a peace meeting with the leadership of the striking unions.
“I commend several efforts of the federal government in the education sector, but this time, call for a very serious concern because we already have several challenges.
“I want to passionately appeal that all stakeholders get to the round table as soon as possible to resolve this crisis.
“Already, we have security challenges, we cannot afford to let our higher institutions students be out of the academic environment for now; I appeal that we get the unions back to work soon,” she appealed.
Also speaking, an educationist, Mrs Olaide Azeez, appealed for amicable resolution of the crisis.
“I hope this is resolved early, when I hear of strike in our tertiary institutions, I get scared because it could be protracted beyond imagination.
“My appeal goes to the Federal government and the unions, I know they have the right to their demands and the government must also respect agreement but in the middle of all this are the innocent students,” she said.
A unionist, Mr Olayinka Ajao, also appealed for quick resolution on the matter, saying incessant industrial action had impacted negatively on the nation’s education system. (NAN)
