Arewa leaders seek truce in FG, ASUU face-off

Insist education sector must be salvaged

Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has decided to wade into the prolonged crisis between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to end the logjam.

The Northern socio-cultural group said it decided to mediate the impasse to save the country’s educational system.

ACF Secretary-General, Alh. Murtala Aliyu, stated, yesterday, that they thought it wise to mediate, considering the uncompromising stance of the two parties on the issues at stake.

“It is with a great sense of concern that the ACF deemed it necessary to speak up in the standoff between the negotiation teams, on a situation causing chains of academic strikes in the country.

“The frequency of the strike over the last three decades has set the tertiary education sector years behind, affecting the quality of its products. The current impasse has lasted too long, a sign that a different approach is needed to resolve this disagreement,” he added.

According to Aliyu, the nation is held to ransom as a result of this deadlock.

ACF called on the Federal Government and ASUU to reconsider further dialogue on alternatives to the former strategies.

“We, again, call on both parties to reconsider changing their approaches, as it is imperative to note here that strikes are too many and are of little effect. Therefore, alternative measures to strikes must be thought of and the present situation must be reversed, immediately.

“Realistic response should be made to all ASUU requests. The parents, students, lecturers and society, in general, bear the brunt of these strikes more. Such scenarios must be avoided to, responsively, deliver services to the nation,” the statement added.