Nigeria: ACF, Oyakhire Flay FG Over ASUU Strike

Former Military Administrator of Taraba and Oyo States, Dr Amen Oyakhire has asked the Federal Government to address the grievances of members of the
Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, which has led to the closure of universities in the last 88 days, saying that "government is not treating ASUU
properly."
Oyakhire spoke in an interview with Saturday Vanguard in Benin City, as the strike by ASUU entred its 88th day today. This was even as the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, also yesterday called on the Federal Government and ASUU to reach amicable settlement to end the ongoing strike by university lecturers.
National Publicity Secretary of ACF, Mr Anthony Sani, who made this known said the strike had brought untold hardship on students, parents and the education sector, and needed to be called off.
In Bida, Niger State, the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, ASUP, also asked the National Assembly to fast track the amendment of the Polytechnic Act to meet modern reality.
ASUP National President, Mr Chibuzor Asomugha, spoke at the union's 75th National Executive Council Meeting at the Federal Polytechnic, Bida.
ASUU had on July 1, this year embarked on a strike it described as "comprehensive, total and indefinite," following the non-implementation of a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, the union signed with the Federal Government in 2009.
Last Thursday, the Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, also gave the Federal Government a two-weeks ultimatum to resolve its problem with ASUU to avert the total closure of all public schools in the country.
The NUT is made up of teachers in public primary and secondary schools across Nigeria.
NUT President, Michael Olukoya, gave the ultimatum in Abuja at the end of the union's meeting with teachers' representatives across the country.
Olukoya stressed that members of the union would not hesitate to close down the nation's schools, if the two parties failed to reach agreement after two weeks, adding that "the current ASUU strike is nationalistic, patriotic and self-
sacrificing."