Sir Ahmadu Bello Foundation calls on FG, ASUU to quickly reach common ground

Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation has appealed to the Federal Government and all the unions, especially ASUU, to quickly arrive at a common ground to enable the immediate resumption of academic activities in the country in the interest of stranded youths.

This is contained in a communique issued at the end of the 26th joint meeting of the board of trustees and advisory council of the Foundation, held at the Hawthorn Suites, Garki, Abuja, on May 9, 2022.

Signed by Abubakar Umar, Director General of the Foundation, the communique was sent to our correspondent on May 16.

The Foundation noted with concern that the ongoing strike will depreciate the quality of educational sector, discourage students’ effort at academic excellence, and force some youths to venture into some anti-social vices.

It noted that the level of national growth and development can be measured by the strength of its educational success and youths’ engagements.

The communique recommended a total economic policy overhaul that will address the socio-economic unrest in the North and other parts of Nigeria.

It said “If left unchecked, the strike will eventually turn everywhere to a cloud of economic depression.”

He noted that there is the need for immediate and necessary action to prevent the elongation of the crisis.

“We call on the Federal Government, through the Central Bank and the Ministry of Finance, to device sound Fiscal and Monetary Stabilization Policies that will properly manage and solve the current economic downturn in the country,” it said.

The meeting also called on the government to address the major problems confronting the power sector in Nigeria, and increase productivity and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for a sustainable growth and development.

It appealed for a presidential intervention in the crises which are affecting the progress of the nation, and called on Nigerians not to lose hope – “be optimistic and law-abiding to sustain peace, effective leadership and good governance as we move towards election.”

It also noted with serious concern, the myriads of challenges bedeviling Nigeria; insecurity, especially in the North, poor educational system, disruption of academic activities in tertiary institutions, economic backwardness, epileptic power supply and weak social and moral institutions.

The communique called on the Federal Government to redouble its efforts to end the alarming rate of insecurities in the country which has instituted fear and uncertainty in the country, apart from limiting farmers’ access to farmlands.

This has resulted in the lack of adequate food security in the country, it said.

The foundation called on all security agencies to check and control the escalating rate of kidnappings and several other acts of banditry across the country, especially in the North.