* Calls For Urgent Resolution Of Dispute
By Clifford Akeregha (Education Reporter)
As hope appears dim on the possible resolution of the impasse between the striking Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Federal Government of Nigeria, the Vice Chancellors of Nigerian public universities have warned about the grave consequences of a prolonged industrial action by the University Lecturers.
The Vice Chancellors are of the view that if the outstanding issues are not urgently resolved, the negative impact of the ASUU strike on tertiary education in the country will be too heavy to bear, as the public universities might not be able to absorb it.
The vice chancellors gave this warning in a resolution at the 80th meeting of the Committee of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities (CVCNU) which took place in Abuja.
In a statement at the end of the Abuja meeting of CVCNU by its Secretary-General, Prof Yakubu A. Ochefu, the Vice Chancellors called on the federal government to move quickly to dialogue with the ASUU leadership. They lamented the current development in the University, advising that the situation should not be allowed to fester longer than it has been.
The VCs however harped on the need for the federal government to talk things out with the lecturers in other to ensure an amicable resolution of the crisis, the core of which is the issue of adequate funding of the public Universities.
The Committee of Vice Chancellors also decried the issue of illegal admissions into the Universities and resolved to engage the registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) in an urgent meeting so as to curb the menace.
The Vice Chancellors also resolved to meet with the leadership of the National Assembly to seek a better way to engage with the lawmakers rather than the current practice of summoning the VCs by the various committees of the Federal parliament. NNL.
