The Speaker, Bauchi State House of Assembly, Abubakar Suleiman, yesterday said the assembly would work with relevant stakeholders in order to resolve and find lasting solutions to the ongoing strike and other contentious issues between the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Bauchi State University Gadau Branch with the state government.
Briefing journalists after a meeting with the leadership of the Union and the management of the institution, the Speaker explained that the Assembly is disturbed with the industrial action embarked upon by the National body of ASUU and the planned internal strike by the Bauchi State University Gadau’s Branch of the Union immediately after the national strike.
According to him, as representative of the people, they are worried on how university students in the State are kept at home for a number of months due to the strike which brought a lot of setback to the students and their parents, hence the need for the lawmakers to intervene.
“If you can recalled, the Assembly has during one of its plenary made resolution on the need for the State Government to intervene on the lingering strike in the State University, by engaging with ASUU and the University Management to find lasting solutions to the problems affecting the University so that the school will be reopened for continuation of academic activities.
“While we are waiting to see the implementation of the resolution, we read in a press release issued by the Union that even when the nationwide strike is called off, it is planning to embark on internal strike. This is disturbing. Thus, we find it necessary to convene this very important meeting with the leadership of the Union, the Vice Chancellor and the representatives of the Ministry of Education, with a view to finding lasting solutions to the problems bedeviling the University.”
“Alhamdulilah, our meeting was fruitful as we ironed out the major problems affecting the University such as lack of adequate funding, delay in payment of salaries, earned academic allowance among others and we have proffered way out.” We commended the ASUU and the Management of the University for their patriotism and for honouring our invitation.”
The speaker who assured the union that Governor Bala Mohammad is very committed in solving all problems affecting education in the State including that of the State University pledged that the Assembly will discuss the outcome of the meeting with the governor for issues to ge addressed and solved once and for all.
In a remark, the Chairman of the Union in the university, Yusuf Musa Yahaya applauded the speaker for the intervention which he said is a testimony of his concern on the plight of the students and the lecturers and assured that, with the intervention of the Assembly, the Union will have no reason to embark on internal strike if they see improvement in the implementation of the resolutions of the meeting.
“The efforts made by the Speaker of the House of Representatives Femi Gbajabiamila have yielded positive results toward ending the national strike, thus we are happy that the Speaker of Bauchi Assembly follows suit by intervening on the lingering issues at the State University.”
“Some of our demands includes full Implementation of funding modality of the University, the State Government should not allow the University at the mercy of TETFUND and embark on constructions of hostels, Staff quarters, cafeterias, road network, staff development and funding of research and payment of earned academic allowance. Our University was established by an act of the State Assembly and the funding modality is therein clearly defined, hence the need of the Assembly to ensure that the law is fully implemented.”
