Public Universities Now on Life Support, Salem Varsity VC Laments
Ibrahim Oyewale in Lokoja
The Vice Chancellor of Salem University, Prof. Johnson Alewo yesterday lamented that the country’s public universities “are now on life support” due to the ongoing strike of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
Consequently, the vice chancellor urged the federal government and the union to sheath their swords to avoid the total collapse of educational system.
He expressed the concern at a session with journalists in Lokoja, challenging the federal government and the union to return to negotiation table to find lasting solution to the seven-month industrial action.
At the session yesterday, Alewo observed that the country’s education sector “is already on life support,” noting that a further delay in resolving the current crises will cause unexpected catastrophes in nearest future.
However, according to the vice chancellor, industrial disharmony or strikes are alien to private universities, which gave them the opportunity for the uninterrupted in their academic calendar year in year out.
He noted that the federal government “must be very sincere enough to bring to the table the best way to resolve the issues perennial crises mitigating against high standard of education in Nigeria. While the members of ASUU are also expected to return for negotiations, Alewo challenged the union to shift position and consider the plights of the students and their parents .
He therefore tasked the federal government to work hard to reposition the ailing economy, stressing that it should put in place strong economic structures in place to alleviate the high rate of poverty in the country.
The vice chancellor noted that infrastructure development “is very key to national growth. The federal government also provident enabling environment by bringing in more foreign investors into the country.”
Alewo explained that the issue of insecurity threaten the foundation of the country must tackled head long, stressing that mechanism to preach peace and unity of the people this nation is still very sacrosanct.
