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From Judex Okoro, Calabar
A cross section of the constituents from Cross River northern senatorial district have hailed Sen Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe over palliative to striking members of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
ASUU has been on strike for about four months running and the federal government is implementing the no-work-no-pay policy.
Jarigbe, representing the senatorial zone, had on Wednesday doled out the sum of N11.5m to 115 lecturers from the zone to cushion the effect of the strike with each beneficiary getting N100. 000.
Jarigbe said he was moved by the economic situation across the country and to show solidarity with members of the academia who are passing through some hard times as a result of protracted industrial action.
Describing the Jarige’s intervention as timely, Mr Peter Iyali, a lecturer in mass communication department, University of Calabar, and from Obudu local government area, said: “Sen. Jarigbe has undoubtedly revolutionised National Assembly representation in Cross River State as he is now a manual on how to represent a people.
“Even though, as an APC member, I desire that my party wins the next election against him, but only with someone who would do better or at the minimum, sustain his tempo, in all honesty, it’s difficult to fault his representation.
“I may not have benefited from the largesse, but I understand what his generosity means to the 115 of my colleagues that benefitted. A lot of lecturers depend solely on their meager pay to address the enormity of challenges confronting them. Many have resorted to commercial taxi services just to survive. So, to receive N100, 000 at this time from nowhere means a lot to them.
“I commend the Senator for his rare show of love towards my colleagues and urge him to continue to set the pace for others to follow.”
Another staff of University of Calabar, Mr Chris Abang, from Ogoja local government area, commended Jarigbe’s philanthropy of reaching out to striking lectures at this particular time, showing that the senator has the interest of his people at heart.
“Since Jarigbe went to NASS, he has displayed high level of empathy to his constituents including the women, the youths and the vulnerable. I have heard that the non-teaching staff are also going to be part of this gestures as names are been collated. I urge other representatives to emulate him.”
A senior academic staff from Yala local government area and who don’t want his name on print, said: “This palliative came on time because most of our colleagues are suffering amid no salary for four months running. It shows our representative has a large heart no matter what one may impugn to what he has done.
“This is the first a politician from our district is even thinking of members of the academic staff and releasing such palliative. It could be small, but it is very significant and shows the real humanity in him.”
