South East Movement for President Tinubu 2027, a support group, has applauded Federal Government and Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) for succefully signing 2009 renegotiated agreement .
Prof Demian Opata a Lecturer who retired from University of Nigeria Nsukka and currently, the National Interim Chairman of the movement said this in Nsukka on Saturday while speaking with newsmen.
He described the signing of the agreement as milestone and a very significant step by Federal Government to instill peace, industrial harmony, progress, stability and increase productivity in public universities.
“The present administration of President Bola Tinubu has demonstrated that the education sector is one of his administration’s priorities.
“Signing of the agreement marks a fresh direction for Nigeria’s tertiary education system.
“The provision of earned allowances for professors and readers among other things in the signed agreement are commendable and a morale booster to academics.
As the movement commends government on this milestone achievement, it urges Federal Government to ensure that all items in the agreement signed are fully implemented and on time”he said.
The professor urged academics to show good faith and reciprocate this gesture by embarking on quality teaching and researche that would move education forward as well as revive the country’s economy.
“With quality researches that have local contents but meet global standards the country’s economy will in no distant time be counted among the best economies in the world, “he said.
Opata advised authority of public universities in the country to ensure that all lecturers in public universities benefited according to terms of the agreement signed by government and ASUU to avoid having any dissenting voice in public universities.
“University authorities and ASUU leadership should ensure that all lecturers benfited according to the agreement signed so that everybody will be happy.
“Federal Government should also ensure it signed agreement with none teaching staff unions in public universities in order to achieve complete industrial harmony in government owned universities in the country, “he said.
The interim Chairman of Tinubu 2027 also urged on states, stakeholders, individuals and philanthropists in the country to help towards improving quality of education in the country as Federal Government can not do it alone.