OPCI President berates FG on lingering ASUU strike
***Urges the two parties to parley to end the strike
By Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin.
The National President of the Yoruba sociocultural organisation, the Oodua Progressive Care Initiative (OPCI), Dr. Marouf Olanrewaju, has condemned the lackadaisical attitude of the federal government to the ongoing strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), saying whatever that is needed to be done by the two parties should be done to bring an end to the strike which has lingered for sometime now.
He said: “We are calling on the Federal Government under the leadership of General Muhammadu Buhari to please pay serious attention to the demands of ASUU, not because of the students alone but also the future of the country, otherwise what we are experiencing today in terms of banditry and other sorts of criminality may be a child play to what will happen in the future.
“It’s an undisputable fact that development of any country is built on solid foundation of good education and the best legacy any reliable government can leave behind is good quality Education. According to Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the literates will continue to govern the illiterates till thy kingdom come.
“It’s unfortunate that today’s government attached little or no importance to education as well as the welfare of Nigerians, believing that when things get worst in the education sector, they have what it takes to send their children and families abroad, forgetting that the children you denied education today will be nation’s problem tomorrow.”
The OPCI boss lamented that the security challenges being faced in the country today was a result and product of June 12 crisis during General Ibrahim Babangida’s and General Sani Abacha’s era where most institutions, including education, were closed for a long time, adding that some students who were unable to complete their education then, now graduate to be yahoo yahoo boys, kidnappers, bandits, ritualists and Boko Haram insurgents.
He said: “Money, resources and lives so far wasted on efforts to tackle insecurity in the country caused by the government are humongous because some people are benefiting from the crisis and would not want it to end soon. The federal government and the military should be more proactive to nip the insecurity in the bud in the interest of the citizenry and economy of the nation.”
He, however, commended Governor Akeredolu of Ondo state for his giant strides on security, particularly his bold steps on headsmen and bandits living in government reserve forest, urging other “Southwest Governors to emulate Aketi in order to reduce security tension in their respective States”.