PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN (3R
TO INAUGURATE THE GOODLUCK EBELE JONATHAN
ENGINEERING BUILDING OF ABUAD: FOUNDER OF THE UNIVERSITY, AA
HIS WIFE MODUPE (2ND R); GOV. KAYOD
L) AND OTHER DIGNITARIES. (NAN)
President Goodluck Jonathan has appealed
to members of the Academic Staff Union
of Universities (ASUU) to return to the
classrooms in the interest of their
students just as he noted that the
striking lecturers had made their point.
The president made the appeal on
Saturday in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State
capital at the inauguration of the College
of Engineering Complex at the Afe
Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD).
The three-storey college complex was also
named after the President.
Mr. Jonathan pleaded with ASUU to listen
to the voice of reason adding that
whatever their grievances might be,
keeping students out of the lecture rooms
for four months was unpatriotic.
His words, “I once again appeal to the
entire membership of ASUU to pause and
ponder on the adverse effect of their
action on the future of the vibrant youths
of this great nation.
“The collective destiny of tens of
thousands of tomorrow’s leaders should
not be held hostage to vagaries of labour
disputes.
“As long as we are humans, as long as we
are a developing society, this labour
dispute must come up.
“I always say that even in the developed
societies we hear about labour dispute;
and there is no society, even the most
developed, that has provided the facilities
for every worker.
“Our security services, the Police, the
Armed Forces, Navy, Air Force and para-
military, intelligent services are also
operating in an environment that is not the
best.
“If all of us should go on long strike
because our environment is not at its
optimum, then definitely we can never get
the Nigeria of our dream.
“So, let me use this unique opportunity
that I am interfacing with our future
leaders, our students, to plead with ASUU
members.
“If it is a genuine strike keeping students
out of classrooms for almost four months,
by that they have demonstrated to
everybody that they have a case.
“And if the strike is motivated by some
other interests, they have also achieved
that by keeping students out of schools
for more than a semester,” he said.
President Jonathan warned that the
freedom of association and the right of
workers to go on strike should not be
abused to the detriment of the country.
“I believe that labour has the right to go
on strike, but in that strike, any action
taken must be built on patriotic zeal.
“In as much as you can go on strike, you
must be patriotic to our country.
“No matter how and what you feel about
Mr President and the federal government,
I plead with ASUU that for the sake of
our students, they should resume classes,”
he said.
The president reassured all that
government would continue to work with
all Nigerians to build a better country for
all and future generation.
He noted that with government’s sincere
commitment to improving the qualities of
infrastructure in the universities and the
operating environment, the striking
lecturers should reconsider their stand.
Mr. Jonathan noted that if students of
private universities could graduate within
three and half years as witnessed in
ABUAD, “it is unacceptable that students
of public institutions are kept for extra
one or two years