FG should disband ASUU - Anglican Primate

Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican
Communion, Most Rev. Nicholas Okoh,
has called for the disbandment of the
national body of the Academic Staff Union
of University.
He described the methods adopted by
ASUU as immoral and self-enrichment.
Okoh spoke in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, on
Thursday, during the Standing Committee
Meeting of the Bishops Conference of the
church.
He said, "The government should find a
way either to privatise the universities or
get ASUU to be limited to individual
universities such that there will be no
national ASUU body mandating even
institutions without grievances to go on
strike.
"There is no such body anywhere in the
world. Challenges facing any institution
should be treated locally without involving
others.
"While the ASUU strike lasts, university
lecturers are busy teaching in private
universities (most of which lack lecturers)
and earning money and when the strike is
over, they will still be paid for the period
of the strike.
"This is highly immoral and must be
discouraged."
He commended the strides of President
Goodluck Jonathan in the areas of road
network, turn around maintenance of
airports, railways and power supply.
As a short term measure, Okoh urged
government to accede to the demands of
ASUU, describing the academic, moral
and social implications of the strike as
enormous.
He cautioned politicians about working
for external detractors who had earlier
predicted the disintegration of Nigeria in
2015.
He urged the Independent National
Electoral Commission to ensure honesty
and transparency while discharging its
responsibility to the nation.
"INEC should rise above regional, ethnic,
religious partisanship and deliver to
Nigerians, the truth, the whole truth and
nothing short of that," Okoh said.
The cleric insisted that despite the
ongoing power-play, leaders must
maintain the unity of the country.
He appealed to the youths to avoid
violence and other political vices while
taking part in politics ahead of 2015.
Okoh said, "We make a sincere appeal to
politicians as they plan, disagree,
challenge one another and engage in high
political maneuvering, to ensure that the
entity called Nigeria is spared from harm.
"We should not walk into the traps of our
external detractors who had already
predicted a break-up of the country in
2015."
"We appeal to our youths to take part in
politics but steer clear of political
thuggery. You should not allow
yourselves to be used for assassination,
arson, kidnapping, maiming, looting,
intimidation of opponents.
"Don't die for any political party or any
candidate because Nigeria needs you
tomorrow."