By Bridget Ikyado
The Archbishop, Metropolitan and Primate of the Church of Nigeria Anglican Communion, His Grace Henry Ndukuba says the prolonged strike of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) will affect the future of Nigeria’s human resources asset.
He said that both the Federal Government and ASUU should shed aside their differences and negotiate for resumption of academic activities in the interest of the students and the country’s future.
Ndukuba also said at a news conference in Abuja that it was time for the government to rejig the education sector to ensure that it works for majority of Nigerians, including out of school children.
“ Nigeria has a deficit in education by having over six million out-of-school children with no capacity or potential to be self-sustaining.
“This is certainly a time bomb that should be addressed very urgently.
“The earliest resolution of the ASUU strike and our children returning back to schools is an urgent matter of concern”, he said.
He said government must make it a priority to get university students back to the classroom.
“No Nation can afford to play with its human capital assets.
“Government and the private sector must collaborate to return the sector to its past glory.
“Our children cannot acquire the knowledge and skills they need by sitting at home,” he added.
The Primate said it was also imperative to find lasting solution to the incessant strike in the university system, so as to stem the retrogression in the sector.
“We want to use this opportunity to draw the attention of the government to educational backwardness and the fallen standard of education in our nation.
“Government and private sectors must collaborate to return this sector to its past glory, if Nigeria will have a future,” he said.
The clergyman suggested that the millions of dollars that was returned from Abacha’s loot, should be budgeted to deal with the problems of universities, so as to end the incessant strikes.