Strike: Kumuyi begs Nigerian govt, ASUU to embrace dialogue

The General Overseer of the Deeper Life Bible Church, Pastor W. F Kumuyi, on Saturday urged the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to resolve their dispute in the interest of Nigerian students.

Kumuyi made the call while fielding questions from journalists during his six-day Global Crusade with Kumuyi in Minna, Niger State.

The strike called by the varsity lecturers on February 14 to press home their demand for revitalisation of public universities, payment of earned academic allowances, reconstitution of the FGN/ASUU 2009 Renegotiation Committee, adoption of University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) as payment platform and constitution of visitation panels in the universities entered its 221st day on Saturday.

Justice Polycarp Hamman of the National Industrial Court on Wednesday ordered the lecturers to end their strike and return to classrooms.

Speaking on the development, Kumuyi urged the federal government and ASUU to embrace dialogue on the issue.

READ ALSO: ASUU appeals court’s ruling on strike

The cleric encouraged both parties to shift grounds in the interest of the students.

He said: “To ameliorate and solve the problem, I think we should be looking at how A should be looking for what will satisfy B and B should be looking for what will satisfy A.

“When two instructions or two opposing bodies have a challenge, one should look at the challenge from the point of view of the other person. The universities should be looking at what the government can do and the government should be looking at how to solve the problem.”

“On the conflict, we have between the government and higher institutions. I believe that dialogue is the way forward. I believe rioting and so on is not the way out, mark my words, I didn’t say it will not, but may not solve the problem.”

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