President Muhammadu Buhari has urged the Academic Staff Union of Nigeria Universities (ASUU) to call off the strike action embarked upon by its members in the overall interest of the nation.
The president said this in Ndufu-Alike, Abakaliki, during the third convocation of the Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ebonyi State.
Speaking on behalf of Buhari, the Deputy Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission, Mr. Victor Onuoha, quoted the president as saying that the Federal Government had provided the requisite environment for teaching and learning in Nigerian universities.
“Consequently, I urge ASUU to suspend its ongoing industrial action in the overall national interest.”
“This administration is not unmindful of the fact that funding for education may not be adequate largely due to lean resources and other competing national needs. I want to assure Nigerians that we will continue to do the needful within the limited available resources,” he said.
The ongoing ASUU strike began on November 4, after their National Executive Council meeting held at the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Ondo State.
After numerous meetings with the leadership of the union, the Federal Government has said that talks with the universities lecturers have so far been fruitful adding that the strike would soon be called off.