Be responsible in negotiations, concerned Nigerians tell ASUU

Enugu-based Progressive Students Movement (PSM) has urged the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to be responsible in its negotiations to resolve the ongoing strike and consider the suffering of Nigerian students.

The PSM also urged the Federal Government to withdraw its lawsuit against ASUU at the Industrial Court “as this will further waste the already wasted time of Nigerian students”.

The President of PSM, Mr Bestman Okereafor, disclosed this in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu on Sunday.

Okereafor noted that it was regrettable that the strike had been allowed to linger beyond seven months.

The PSM boss, while appealing for a compromise between both parties, enumerated the recent losses caused by the lingering strike.

“It is regrettable that actions of both parties have led to shutting down of universities for seven months over the continuous strike which has obviously drastically affected the academic calendars.

“The continuous strike has also deprived university students from joining their polytechnic counterparts in mobilising and partaking in National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

“ Information at our disposal reveals a UNIBEN staff committed suicide few weeks ago,” he said.

He appealed to well meaning Nigerians, especially prominent leaders and respected traditional rulers, to prevail on both parties to shift grounds and find a middle ground for an amicable agreement.

He noted that Nigerian students had remained at the receiving end of each academic strike.