President Muhammadu Buhari Monday in Daura, Katsina State, called on Academic Staff Union of Universities to reconsider their position on the prolonged strike, expressing worry that the strike will have generational consequences on families, the educational system and future development of the country.
The President, who received some governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC), legislators and political leaders at his residence, said the strike had already taken a toll on the psychology of parents, students and other stakeholders, throwing up many moral issues that already beg for
attention.
President Buhari noted that the future of the country rests on the quality of educational institutions and education, while assuring that the government understands their position, and negotiations should continue, with students in lecture halls.
The President called on all well meaning Nigerians, particularly those close to the leaders and members of the association, to intervene in persuading the lecturers to reconsider their position, and the ripple effect on an entire generation and the nation.
President Buhari said students from Nigerian universities would be faced with the challenge of competing with others in a highly connected and technology-driven work space, and keeping them at home only deprives them of time, skill and opportunities to be relevant on the global stage.
President Buhari said resources should be channeled more into building infrastructure and operations of the health and educational sector, not to expand the bureaucracy to create job opportunities.
President Buhari urged those in political positions and places of privilege to be mindful in helping the many Nigerians that were looking for opportunities.
The President told the governors and political leaders that he had not been to his house in Daura for close to a year due to the demands of office.
He said he would retire to Daura, not Kaduna, where he had a better house.
The President explained that the schedule of work was much, saying he recently had to sympathise with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyema, who had to be away most of the time from his family.
President Buhari urged the APC stalwarts to keep working for the good of the people and the country
The President said relative to the resources available, and compared to the last administration, the government had done well in many areas, particularly in infrastructure.
On security, the President said the North West had posed more challenges, and some success had been recorded in other regions, North East and South South.
President Buhari advised some indigenes in the South South to stop hurting national assets, which also affect their livelihood.
In his remarks at the meeting, the Chairman of Progressive Governors’ Forum, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, thanked the President for his leadership roles in improving the economy of the nation and the many successes recorded at the APC, which include two conventions to produce the party leadership and the presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
Bagudu, who is the Governor of Kebbi State, said the favorable seasons supported the vision of ensuring food production and making agriculture a priority, with clear results in rice pyramids in various states.
He said more than 54 rice meals were commissioned in various states, and 57 fertiliser plants were revived, or built afresh.
Bagudu also appreciated the President for providing ease of access to governors and political leaders, noting that the opening of the National Economic Council for more fluid exchange of ideas greatly helped in improving the economy.
APC Governors at the lunch with the President; Katsina State, Rt Hon. Aminu Bello Masari, Kaduna State, Malam Nasir el-Rufai, Imo State, Hope Uzodinma, Nasarawa State, Abdullahi Sule, Niger State, Abubakar Sani Bello, Kano State, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, Ekiti State, Dr Fayemi Kayode, Plateau State, Simon Lalong and Kebbi State, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu.
BELLO WAKILI
