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From Paul Orude Bauchi
The Secretary to the Bauchi State Government, Barrister Ibrahim Kashim, has warned the federal government to quickly settle demands of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) demands otherwise the country would bequeath bandits and terrorists in the future.
Kashim sounded the warning on Tuesday when the Nigeria Labour Congress NLC, and affiliate unions in the state staged a peaceful demonstration to Government House, Bauchi, on Tuesday to get University students back to school.
The NLC Chairman in the state, Comrade Danjuma Saleh led hundreds of workers from the state Labour house at Railway road in the rally to Government House, Bauchi, in solidarity with ASUU.
Addressing the placard-carrying workers, Kashim opined the unions had sent a strong message to the federal government by the peaceful rally to do the needful otherwise Nigeria stands doomed.
He said the onions now lie with the Federal Government to immediately ensure it resolves the five months old ASUU strike.
Kashim said most Nigerians are aware and sympathise with ASUU members and the students, saying no government must toy with education of its citizens.
Receiving a letter from NLC President Ayuba Wabba from the Branch Chairman, the SSG promised to deliver it to his boss, Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed.
“We understand the purpose why you are here. We are all Nigerians answer we know what is going on. We support why you are here.
“We hope this issue would be settled once and for all so that our children, our brothers and sisters go back to school and be educated like we all are” he said.
“The world cannot stand still and wait for Nigeria to resolve its own problems.
“Nigeria has to resolve its own problems in the comity of nations by educating the young ones and making them leaders of tomorrow otherwise the country will be bequeath with bandits and terrorists,”. Kashim said.
“We know why you are here and we support why you are here. Any country that toys with education toys with it’s future.
“We understand the point, we understand the reason of your being here”
Earlier the NLC Chairman in the state Comrade Saleh berated the federal government for poorly handling the ASUU issues.
He said the officials of the federal government are less concern because their wards are not attending any public university in Nigeria.
He called for budgetary allocation to the education sector in line with global standard which is at least 26 percent.
He said the unions were bothered about the ASUU plight and continue to fold its arms and watched their colleagues suffer over simple issues.
