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." :Punch