The Vice-Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, Prof. Kabiru Bala, has openly lamented that the strike action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has completely dampened his spirit.
The Don had made this announcement on Monday at a meeting which had been organised by the Kano Zone of ASUU.
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Bala had also noted that the industrial action which has lasted for over 140 days has also affected the economy of host communities.
He had urged the government, ASUU and stakeholders to consider the effect of the strike on the citizens.
“We also have more than 13,000 employees each of whom has an average of three to five dependents who feed on a daily basis.
“The strike also has far-reaching implications on security.”
Bala added that the strike was also affecting lecture theatres, classrooms and laboratories.
“When I look between the ABU Senate Building and the Engineering Department complex, I feel like shedding tears as nobody is using the facilities.
“These are infrastructure provided by the government, but are left fallow for months”, the VC complained.
While reacting to the prolonged strike action by members ASUU community, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) group has openly urged President Muhammadu Buhari to do his best to meet some of the demands of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
SERAP had also advised President Muhammadu Buhari to redirect some of the presidency’s ₦3.6 billion budget for feeding and travels, and the ₦134 billion allocated to the National Assembly for 2022 to ASUU.
SERAP also called for the recovery of “missing ₦105.7 billion of public funds” from ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to fund public tertiary institutions.
In a letter on July 2, Deputy Director, ERTAP, Kolawole Oluwadare said meeting ASUU’s demands would address the inequality in educational opportunity.
SERAP lamented that the government’s failure to implement the agreement with the union has kept many students at home while the children of politicians attend private schools.
