Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, has attributed the lingering strike by university lecturers to the lack of political will by the past leaders of the country to sincerely address the problems of the education sector.
He made the observation when a coalition of northern students on Monday endorsed his presidential aspiration for the 2023 general elections in Dutse, Jigawa State.
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In addition, the students, under the auspices of the 19 Northern States Students’ Progressive Forum, also conferred on him an award of “The Best Governor of the Year” in recognition of his pragmatic and honest approach to issues concerning education and youths development.
The governor, who was represented by the State Commissioner for Youths and Sports, Comrade Bashir Usman Goron, tasked students to keep on struggling to ensure that campuses are reopened for academic activities within the shortest time possible.
Tambuwal, who challenged the youths to reflect on the current situation of the country, warned that nobody would secure the future of the country for the youths unless they took the gauntlet.
The former Speaker of the House of Representatives wondered why the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has to embark on strike during every administration, saying the development could be connected with the lack of political will to address the issues raised by ASUU.
According to him, “The issue of FG/ASUU is a cause for concern to all right-thinking Nigerians.
“We all know what the problems are, yet it has been lingering for more than 15 years now and up till now, there appears no end in sight.
“No government appears willing to solve the problems.
“Apart from the lack of political will to solve the problems, I believe the government should engage constructively with the teachers and don’t promise what they cannot afford, that I believe is what has kept the issue lingering till date.
“As far as I’m concerned, you (students) are the ones to fight for the future of education in the country.
“You are the ones that will struggle for the education of this country.
“Therefore, as long as we keep mute, believe me, our universities will remain closed for a long time.”
The spokesman of the forum, Muhammad Inuwa Alhassan, while justifying the choice of Tambuwal for the award, said he did well in all indices of development examined.
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