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MURIC to ASUU: End strike, don’t overstretch your luck

David Adenekan
David Adenekan
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Akintola

An Islamic human rights group, Muslim Rights Concern, MURIC, has appealed to the Academic Staff Union of Nigerian Universities, ASUU, to end its strike and not overstretch its luck.

ASUU embarked on the ongoing industrial action on November 5, 2018, to press home demand for improvement in the state of the universities and welfare of its members.

The strike has entered its third month.

Making the appeal for an end to the strike on Tuesday in a statement signed by its Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, MURIC said ASUU leadership should consider the state of the nation and the plight of the students.

“The Federal Government has demonstrated goodwill by offering a part-payment. It may be considered a small amount but when viewed against the background of this administration’s commitment to infrastructural development, falling oil prices and the recession Nigeria has just passed through, ASUU needs to exhibit more understanding.

“This regime should not be punished for the sins of all past administrations. In the past ten years for instance, the education sector received a paltry N3.5 trillion out of N55.19 trillion of the annual budgets. ASUU is therefore fighting a just cause, but the union must know where to draw the line. He who fights and runs away, lives to fight another day,” the group said.

MURIC said ASUU should also consider the coming general elections.

It said ASUU should collect the amount offered by the Federal Government and put and end to the strike in order to make room for a hitch-free general election.

It said they should not give room for politicians to start reading meanings into the industrial action embarked upon by the union.

“Neither should ASUU stretch its luck. Already, ASUU lost the University of Ilorin several years ago and heaven did not fall. The University of Ife branch has followed suit. There are also rumours that splinter groups of ASUU are already setting up a parallel union. ASUU’s strength lies in its unity. Accepting FG’s offer and calling off the strike will therefore be the best option at this particular time. ASUU is respected nationwide as the conscience of the nation. But ASUU must not overdo it.

“As a parting shot, we plead with ASUU to compassionately consider the agony of parents countrywide and the social menace the strike has become. Public sentiment has metamorphosed into frustration. The next stage in the process of metamorphosis may be contempt and anger. It may be too late by then,” MURIC warned.

 

 

 

 

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