By Patrick Ochei
The cerebral Royal Mother of the Anioma Nation and former member of the Federal Government/Private Sector Committee on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), HRM Obi Martha Dunkwu has called on the President Muhammadu Buhari led Federal Government to immediately pay ASUU and settle all agreements reached with them so as to enable them return to the classroom, adding that the industrial action was causing more harm than good to the educational system.
She made this call while receiving the Winning Legacy Award, presented to her by the Convener of the Winning Women International, powered by Torchigrace Godspower (First Lady Akwaugo 1 of WAZOBIA FM) at the Sweet Spirit Hotel Asaba, on Sunday 4th September, 2022, in recognition of her numerous achievements in the Media, Business, Leadership and Anioma Cultural Advancement.
Omu Dunkwu said it had become imperative to lend her voice to what was happening in our education system where the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) had remained on strike for over six months.
In her motherly evaluation and analysis, she said FG should not continue to show disdain to the legitimate demands of ASUU as if education does not matter.
Her words, “This dispute should be resolved once and for all. If there was agreement reached earlier in addition to the report submitted by the Government’s own Committee, then the Government is obligated to implement this report.
“The Federal Government cannot tell us that they don’t have money to pay ASUU to resolve all of these issues. There is money in our country, we shouldn’t deceive ourselves about that. Education should not even be a sector to toy with. We must be careful with what we do, we have more challenges in our hand and should not add pressure on parents and children who are the actual victims of this strike.
“Our most important asset as a country is the people and not even the oil and gas resource that is tearing us apart. On this note, I want to categorically call on the Federal Government to pay ASUU and resolve all the disputes hampering the progress and development of our tertiary eduction in order for the lecturers to go back to school to teach our children, provide teaching aids, make the school environment conducive for learning so that lecturers can be happy and motivated to teach”, Omu Dunkwu posited.
The former member of Board of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), also used the platform to call on the women to always remember that they have children and should think of their future by voting the right people to lead the country in 2023.
Omu who was disheartened that the over 5000 women in the hall and outside had gathered for small empowerments to do business in a country that is so blessed and supposed to cater for their security and welfare.
She said it is pathetic for women who do all the errands for political parties and vote more in any election, to continue to suffer and live in penury.
She also called on the media to watch itself and do everything possible to hold Government accountable as we move into an election year.
In addition, Omu Dunkwu insisted that the Watchdog must be watched by itself, urging Government not to be apprehensive of the media but concentrate on delivering good governance as part of its statutory mandate. She therefore, quoted Voltaire as saying that, “The only way to compel men to speak good of you is to do good”.
