By Dele Moses, Ilorin
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State, Alhaji Shuaib Yaman Abdullahi, has urged the Federal Government and Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to reach compromise and resolve their disagreement without further delay to end the strike by the ASUU.
He said that this was desirable because students of the universities have been forced to stay at home for too long owing to the strike embarked upon by ASUU in pursuing their demand from the government.
ASUU had in March this year embarked on the industrial action to protest the enrolment of university teachers on Integrated Payroll Personnel Information System (IPPIS) through which their salaries would be paid henceforth like other civil servants in the employment of the federal government and also to fight non-implementation of certain agreements reached with the government in the past.
The union while arguing that the IPPIS would undermine the autonomy of the universities came up with the University Transparent Accountability System (UTAS) as an alternative platform for payment of salaries and allowances of the lecturers.
The APC chieftain, in an interview with newsmen in Ilorin, expressed worry that the disagreement between the government and the varsity teachers had dragged on for too long with the effect that stable and smooth running of academic activities in the universities has been greatly disturbed.
Abdullahi who doubles as a member of the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) said it was disheartening that students had continued to stay at home in the past seven months bearing the brunt of the face-off between rhe government and the lecturers like the proverbial grass under two fighting elephants.
“I think both the government and ASUU should please, in the interest of our young men and women, find a common ground. This thing (strike) is getting too far. Like people say, when two elephants fight, it is the grass under them that suffers. We do not have any future more than these our young men and women. We can’t afford to play with our future. Both the government and ASUU can say they are right on their positions, but they should please come together and find a common ground.
“Sometimes, you give up certain things so that certain things can happen. For the sake of our children, both the government and ASUU should find a fast way forward in this so that schools can open
“Nothing should be cast on stone. The idea of finding a common ground means a compromise of sort. Government cannot say it is closing its eyes and the children should continue to wander around. They are our own children, we must take responsibility.
“On the other side too, ASUU must recognize that they are employees. They are not an entity to themselves. And that is why I said both sides should try and find some common ground in this. It is not impossible. You cannot stay on your own side of the divide and say I’m not moving. They should for the interest of the students. Because there is no need for universities if there are no students.”