Prof. Charles Ayo, Vice-Chancellor of Trinity University, Yaba, Lagos, has commended the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) for suspending its nine-month strike.
Ayo gave the commendation on Wednesday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ota,Ogun.
ASUU had embarked on a nationwide industrial action on March 23, 2020, over Federal Government’s insistence on the implementation of the IPPIS for payment of university lecturers’ salaries and allowances, among other demands.
NAN reports that ASUU National Chairman, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, on Wednesday in Abuja, called off the nine-month old strike.
He said that the prolonged strike by ASUU was unfortunately as some female students had been impregnated,while some of the male students had constituted nuisance to society having been involved in one crime or the others.
The don said the suspension of the prolonged ASUU strike was welcome development and good news for parents, considering the percentage of students in public universities.
Ayo, however, cautioned Nigerians against quick condemnation of ASUU, saying they have genuine reason for embarking on the strike.
He said Nigerian universities needed quality research, well equipped laboratories and functional teaching facilities for better ranking among world class universities.
Ayo added that this would also enhance and make the country’s graduates employable in the labour market.
“Without quality education, there would never be national development.
“It is time for the Federal Government to find alternative ways and adopt a sustainable approach to make it extremely unnecessary for ASUU to embark on strike.
“The government cannot continue to neglect education, otherwise the future of the country will be bleak,” the vice chancellor said.(NAN)
