Disturbed by the incessant spate of industrial actions by lecturers of higher institutions in the country, particularly, the ongoing strike action by members of the Academic Staff Union of University (ASUU) Kogi State University, Anyigba, chapter, some concerned parents have raised their voices in appeasing the striking lecturers and the kogi state government to wade into the matter with the aim of finding timely and lasting solution to the face-off.
Some of the affected parents who spoke with our correspondent, urged the concerned stakeholders to in the interest of the future of, the innocent students, commence discussions that could lead to the peaceful resolution of the impasse.
One of the parents, Mr. Samson Idris, whose son is a year two student of the institution, appealed to ASUU, to always explore all the conflict resolution mechanism of trade and industrial relations before resorting to strike action. He also called on the state government to look into the demands of the union by engaging them in a dialogue with a view to resolving the matter amicably.
Another parent, Mrs. Zainab Idakwo, described the frequent cases of strike actions by labour unions in the country as not only appalling, but also devastating, considering its enormous consequences on the nation’s economy and on the larger society.
While calling on ASUU, whose members she said, also have children in the school, to in the spirit of empathy suspend the strike, while still engaging the government in a dialogue. She also pleaded with the state government to make all sacrifices needed towards ensuring that academic activities in the revered ‘ivory tower’ are restored.
Others who spoke with The Graphic on the condition of anonymity, solicited the intervention of the senior citizens of the state, the religious and traditional leaders to appeal to the conscience of the striking lecturers to resume for academic activities considering the negative implications of the strike on the parents, some of whom they said, struggled to send their children to school amidst tight financial realities.
It would be recalled that the Kogi State University chapter of ASUU, about two weeks ago downed the tools to press home some of their grievances.
Source: The Graphic
