Okonjo-Iweala Appeals To ASUU To Call Off Strike

The minister said this after she and the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi bagged honorary doctorate degrees at Oduduwa University, Ipetumodu in Osun State.

The Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo‑Iweala, weekend, appealed to the Academic Sttaff Union of Universities, ASUU, to call off its strike.

According to the Vice Chancellor, Professor Adeleke Ogunwale, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, nominated the two eminent Nigerians for the award as part of activities marking the maiden convocation of the institution which produced 18 first class graduates, 63 second upper division and 82 lower class, out of 166 that graduated.

Dr. Iweala was awarded honorary Doctor of Science in Accounting, while Mallam Sanusi was honoured with Doctor of Science in Economics.

Speaking at the convocation ceremony, the minister said: “We are indeed saddened by the death of Professor Iyayi. I appeal to ASUU to go back to school in the interest of students, their parents, because the Federal Government has acceded to their requests.”

On the need for the revitalisation of tertiary education, she said: “Our tertiary institutions face serious challenges which require urgent attention. President Jonathan injects N220 billion a year on top of regular resources to address challenges in tertiary education.”

She gave N50,000 prize each year for the best student in Accounting and Economics as a personal contribution to the development of the institution.

Speaking further, Okonjo-Iweala clarified that the shortfall in the federal allocation to state governments in the federation did not have any political colouration as being insinuated in some quarters.

“There is no politics in it. Every state goes to Federal Allocation Committee meeting monthly; they see the account and know that oil production is down and the receipts are down.

“They know Customs’ revenues are down, yet we distribute whatever that is to be distributed. From that, we have been able to manage this country and workers have been able to collect their salaries.

In his own response, Mallam Sanusi said though, the economy was becoming stable, the effects of the growth should be seen in the life of a common man on the street”.

The Vice chancellor of the institution, Prof. Adeleke Ogunwale, commended the Ooni of Ife for giving hundreds of acres for the establishment of the institution which came to being in 2009.