Cross River State Commissioner for Education, Sen. Prof. Stephen Odey, Esq., has appealed to the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Education and Entrepreneurship (UEE) Chapter, to suspend its planned strike, assuring the union of government’s commitment to addressing its concerns.
Odey made the appeal when he received the management team of the university and the ASUU-UEE executive, led by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Patrick Asuquo, in his office in Calabar.
The Commissioner, who cut short his participation in the ongoing 66th Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in Port Harcourt to attend to the matter, said issues affecting the education sector remained a priority to him and warranted prompt intervention.
He commended the Vice Chancellor and the university management for their proactive efforts in building the young institution, particularly in securing accreditation for its academic programmes, and reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to supporting its growth and development.
Odey urged the ASUU-UEE leadership to shelve the strike notice and allow room for dialogue and government intervention, noting that industrial action could disrupt academic activities and potentially affect the image and development of the young university.
The Commissioner reiterated Governor Bassey Edet Otu’s commitment to the institution, describing the Governor as passionate about its growth and development. He assured the union that he would personally engage the relevant authorities to facilitate the implementation of approved decisions and address the outstanding issues.
He called on the union to give government a short window to intervene, assuring them that he would take up their concerns with the appropriate authorities and work towards finding a lasting resolution.
Responding, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Patrick Asuquo, appreciated the Commissioner for interrupting his engagement outside the state to meet with the university management and the union, while the ASUU-UEE leadership acknowledged his intervention and appealed for continued government support in resolving the outstanding matters.
The meeting ended on a conciliatory note, with the Commissioner urging the union to prioritise dialogue and cooperation in the interest of the university, its students and the broader development of the state’s education sector.
By Patricia Ogbeche
