Latest On The ASUU Strike

Executive Secretary of the National
Universities Commission (NUC), Prof.
Julius Okojie, says he is confident that the
lingering strike by the Academic Staff
Union of Universities (ASUU) will soon be
called off.
Speaking, Wednesday, in Abuja, at a
media parley with journalists, Okojie said
the commission was doing everything
within its powers to ensure a speedy
resolution of the issues raised by ASUU
so that students could return to school.
“We are part of the system and we
understand the issues, we are meeting
with members of the union all the time
and the issues are being tackled.
“So, we are optimistic the strike will soon
be called off and our children can go back
to school in the shortest possible time,”
he said.
In reaction to the call by ASUU for NUC to
be scrapped, Okojie said “the call is not in
good faith as the commission has not
gone to sleep over its duties”.
Also speaking on the recurrent
disagreements between the commission
and some professional bodies over
accreditation and running of certain
courses by some universities, Okojie
acknowledged that there were issues that
needed to be resolved between both
parties.
“There is no country in the world where
regulatory bodies and professional bodies
go to regulate at the same time.
“So, it is true we are having problems
with professional bodies in carrying out
our mandate, but the issues too will soon
be resolved and we can move on.
The executive secretary, who said that the
commission had closed many faculties
not fit to run courses in certain
universities, admitted that; “it is not easy
to be a regulator’’.
According to him, the commission was
“silently regulating the system’’ having to
also pay professional feesand encourage
professors to do accreditation. [NAN]