Abide By Pact, Mark Tells FG, ASUU

President of the Senate, Senator David Mark has enjoined both the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to respect the agreement that led to the end of the six month old industrial action in order to avoid a repeat of the unfortunate saga in the future.

Senator Mark also advised that the N200billion  education fund lodged in the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) vault for the purpose of addressing the ills in the universities should be used judiciously to curb the defects.

Speaking when the President of ASUU, Dr. Nasir Isa Fagge, his Vice, Professor Biodun Ogunyemi and his predecessors, Dipo Fashina as well as Dr. Abdullahi Sule-Kano visited him, Senator Mark urged them to do all that was required to return education to its former glory.

He reminded the principal officers of ASUU that education remained the bedrock of any nation and at that, must not be compromised .

His words, “Education is the foundation of any development. No nation toys with the education of its citizens. We must make our education strong and functional. We must strive to lay a solid foundation for our future”.

He sympathised with ASUU on the death of its former President, Professor Festus Iyayi, and canvassed for  qualitative education in the country as a mark of respect to prove that late Iyayi did not die in vain.

Senator Mark noted that wide consultation and dialogue remained the best approach to any disagreement, saying that constant dialogue was the antidote to industrial dispute.

Earlier, President of ASUU, Isa Fagge thanked the Senate for the mediation that led to the end of the strike.

Fagge regretted the prolonged strike on account of the initial reluctance of government to implement the agreement of  2009.

“I can now confirm that the agreement has been signed between ASUU and Federal Government. The N200billion  education fund has also been credited at the CBN. We have also constituted an implementation monitoring committee on the agreement to avoid any breach”, the ASUU helmsman affirmed.

L-R:Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Allison-Madueke, Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu, Minister of Special Duties, Alhaji Tanimu Turaki and Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar, at the Federal Executive Council Meeting in Abuja last Wednesday

Nneka Amaechi-Nnadi, Abuja