Always embrace dialogue, shun strike, Akume tells lecturers

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, has called on the leadership of lecturers in tertiary institutions to always embrace dialogue instead of resorting to strikes.

Akume’s comment came after the Federal Government set up a 31-member panel to renegotiate the agreement with the Academic Staff Union of Universities in an effort to avert a fresh strike, following a threat by ASUU.

However, the SGF assured Nigerians that strikes would stop under the administration of President Bola Tinubu.

A statement on Wednesday by the Director of Information & Public Relations, OSGF, Segun Imohiosen, said Akume disclosed this when the leadership of the Conference of Alumni Association of Nigerian Universities led by its President, Prof Yakubu Ochefu paid him a courtesy visit in Abuja.

The statement partly read, “Having urged the Association to complement the Government’s efforts in the development of the nation’s tertiary institution, the SGF also assured that industrial action will soon be a thing of the past under the present administration and urged the leadership of tertiary institutions to always toe the path of dialogue rather than resorting to strike.”

Akume stated that the federal government was committed to repositioning the nation’s education sector for sustainable development.

He noted that any nation that toys with education is toying with the destiny of its citizens.

Akume said, “No nation can make progress without investing in education, a nation that toys with education toys with the destiny of its citizens. President Tinubu believes that every Nigerian, irrespective of status, should have access to quality education.”

Akume commended the Tertiary Education Trust Fund for its giant strides in providing quality infrastructure across different tertiary institutions in the six geopolitical zones in the country.

Speaking earlier, Ochefu stated that the association was seeking collaboration with the government to enhance value for respective alma maters in the country to improve tertiary institutions in the country.

He also appealed to the federal government to consider its members in the appointment of governing councils of federal tertiary institutions and appointments on Federal Boards, and those deserving should also receive national honours.