The senator representing Kaduna Central in the upper chamber of National Assembly, Shehu Sani has thrown his weight behind the ongoing strike of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) urging the lecturers not back down until their demands are met by the federal government.
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Sani’s advice to the striking lecturers was contained in the interview he granted newsmen shortly after his visit to home of destitute in Kaduna earlier on Sunday.
He said, “I as a person, I’m 100 percent with ASUU and I supported their strike and they should continue with their strike until the FG meet their demands. If they don’t strike what would they have done to press for their demand as a trade union? Would they have carried arms?
“So, peaceful strike is allowed in democracy and I think the FG should do something about it very quickly. This problem was inherited by Buhari’s administration but it must see how it can solve it.”
The ongoing ASUU’s strike is around three-week old.
The lecturers are demanding for the registration of the Nigerian Universities Pension Management Company (NUPEMCO), release of fund for revitalization of public universities as spelt out in 2013 Memorandum of Understanding, guidelines for retirement benefits of professors in line with 2009 FGN/ASUU Agreement, and reinstatement of support for universities’ staff primary schools, among others.
