As the disagreement between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) continues into the fourth month, the senator representing Rivers South-East Senatorial District, Hon. Magnus Ngei Abe said education is a Nigerian problem, that every Nigerian, ASUU, federal Government, Parents, Corporate Organizations and individual should get involve to end the empasse.
Senator Abe dropped the hint during an interview with journalists at the occasion of the second edition of his Presentation of Cash Award of N50,000 each to 40 beneficiaries from the Senatorial District going to Law School this year.
The event took place at the Londa Hotel, Orasi, Port Harcourt on Monday 28th October, 2013.
Senator Abe said the strike is not ASUU problem because without education we cannot get better judgment in court, without better education we cannot get qualified doctors in the hospital, all of us will suffer if we did not get proper training for our children.
He appealed to ASUU to allow the students to go back to school while they return to the negotiation table as he noted that education is a priority to all Nigerians.
The outspoken senator said he believed that students should not suffer a set back from negotiation that took place in the past but the two parties will resolve the crisis hoping that if ASUU suspends the strike as part of resolution passed by the Senate it will do Nigerians a great profit than damage which will be difficult to repair.
The senator stated that they are aware of the challenges of ASUU, especially as the Federal Government has not met all the issues discussed in the agreement as most time government plays cat and mouse game because according to ASUU after calling off the strike the Federal Government mostly fail to honour its part of the agreement which Nigerians are aware of but they should suspend the strike and not to call off.
Earlier, the facilitator, Senatorial Youth and Student Desk, Mr. Kadilo Kabari has said the gesture was part of his Magnus personal commitment to assist students in the senatorial zone.
Mr. Kabari stated that this is the second edition of such program by Senator Magnus Abe as the senator has rolled out similar programme especially by given scholarship to some journalists from the District, the support for small scale business, women empowerment among others.
In his presentation, Senator Magnus Abe who is also the chairman Senate Committee on Petroleum Downstream said the gesture is to assist the less-privileged in the society as education is a national problem.
He explained further that the little help is doing is not his constituency projects, that he has built two modern secondary schools in Rivers State and another two of the school pending while appealing to his friend the supervising Minister of Education, Barr. Nyesom Wike to expedite action to release fund for this year’s constituency project which is also on education.
In their remarks, one of the recipients for this year’s award, Mr. Desmund Oodee thanked the senator while Nnaa Money of the last year award thanked him as the Rivers young lawyers presented a portrait to Hon. Senator Magnus Abe.
Others at the event includes the Solicitor General and Permanent Secretary, Barr. Rufus Godwin represented by Barr. Popnen and Bethuel Oko-jaja Youth, leader. ###
Pius Dukor
