Jonathan To ASUU: ‘Temper Anger With Patriotism’
• President Commissions Omotosho Power Plant
• Pledges To Improve Power Situation, Resolve Labour Issues
PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, appealed to the striking Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to “temper anger with patriotism” in the interest of students that have spent almost a semester at home, even as he commissioned the second phase of the 500 MW Omotosho Power Station at the southern Senatorial district of Ondo State, 16 days after the 434 MW Geregu Power Station in Kogi State came on stream.
Speaking at the maiden convocation ceremony of the Afe Babalola University (ABUAD), Ado Ekiti, and commissioning of the ultra modern school of Engineering of the institution named after the President, Jonathan said ASUU members would have made their points if the strike were meant to call attention of government and the public to the academic environments of universities in the country.
He said if ABUAD students could spend only three and half years at the university, Nigerians should then appeal to ASUU members to call off their strike action, which, the President noted, is “now four-month old.”
He said the future of the country should not be sacrificed on the altar of industrial disharmony, saying this could endanger the future of the country.
“I want to beg ASUU to reconsider its stand on the current impasse rocking our universities, which has kept students out of the universities for four months. This hardstand, and protracted crisis, could endanger the collective destiny of millions of the future leaders because the future of the country should not be derailed on the altar of industrial dispute.
“We pleaded that they should temper anger with patriotism. It would have been a different thing if government had not been listening to their grievances or not ready to honour their agreements. But we have promised that all agreements will be honoured; so, they should reconsider their stand.
“If the strike is borne out of genuine intention, I want to believe that ASUU has been able to prove a point by keeping students out of school for four months. And, if it is borne out of other reasons, they still need to believe that no sector of the economy is operating at its best.
“The military, Police and other paramilitary organizations, including all the politicians, are not operating in the best environment; and, if we all go on strike, we will ground the nation. But I promise that we will continue to strive to provide environment that would enhance optimum performances for better future of our nation.
Also speaking at the commissioning of Omotosho Plant, Jonathan assured Nigerians that, by the middle of next year, the power situation in the country “would have been reasonably stabilised. I am not saying total,” he quickly added.
He disclosed that efforts of government to improve the power sector have engendered recognition and support from the global community and the private sector with an injection of over $3 billion.
The Omotosho Plant is one of the 10 power projects embarked upon by government under the platform of the National Independent Power Project (NIPP); and, according to the President, the whole 10 will be commissioned by the end of the first quarter of next year.
The president also assured that all labour-related issues involving workers of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) would be sorted out before the planned handover of the plants to preferred bidders.
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