Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State, on Tuesday, assured the Nigeria Labour Congress that the Nigeria Governors Forum would do everything possible to ensure an amicable resolution to the lingering crisis between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities.
He gave the assurance when he received members of the Nigeria Labour Congress in the state, who were at the Government House, protesting in solidarity with ASUU.
The governor, who lamented the prolonged crisis, said the NGF would prevail on the Federal Government in the area of advice so as to resolve the crisis with a view to saving the entire system from total collapse.
“We will prevail on the Federal Government in the area of advice because the crisis must be resolved to save the system.
“This crisis must be resolved to help save the system. We don’t want system collapse in this country at all,” Ganguje said.
He noted that the striking university lecturers “are in the strike action to save the system from collapsing.”
While lamenting the plight of students across the country for being idle all this while, he revealed that, “Myself and my colleagues from all the 36 states, irrespective of our party differences, are concerned about the prolonged strike action and we will put our heads together to bring an end to the crisis.”
The governor commended the labour members, students and others who participated in the protest for exhibiting maturity and high sense of responsibility in conducting the protest peacefully.
Ganduje also promised to forward the letter he received from the labour leaders to the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, for onward submission to the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari(retd.) .
Earlier in his speech, the Chairman of the Kano branch of the NLC, Kabiru Minjibir, said the protest was in compliance with the directive from the National Headquarters of the union to compel the government to do the needful.
He commended Ganduje for not joining some of his colleagues in no work no pay resolution against university lecturers.
“We really appreciate the state government under your able leadership, the people’s governor, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, for your magnanimous approach in not stopping the salary of the lecturers of the state universities.
“This shows you are an education-friendly governor,” Comrade Minjibir said.
Among those who took part in the peaceful protest were ASUU members, student bodies, civil society groups, youth organisations and human right activists, among others.
