Umuahia—Abia State chapter of Civil Liberties Organisation, CLO, yesterday urged government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, to adopt dialogue in resolving their differences.

Chairman of the group, Mr. Ifeanyi Onwuneme, said, “it may be difficult to tell ASUU to have a rethink, because of the attitude of government in respecting agreements reached with various segments of Nigerian workers, but it is imperative for ASUU to weigh the pros and cons of the strike.”

The CLO chairman said, after a review of issues that led to this strike, it was clear that both the government and ASUU could engage in meaningful discussion to resolve the strike.

“Today, it is ASUU; tomorrow it is health workers; next tomorrow it is NLC. All are accusing government of not respecting the agreements it reached with them,” he said.

Onwuneme noted that several strikes in the institutions of higher learning were affecting the development of Nigerian children.

He noted with regret that the key policy makers rather pretended not to know the obvious consequences of the actions, because their wards were schooling abroad.

Onwuneme reminded government of the negative consequences of entering agreements it could not honour.

“Agreement is agreement. In a society, where we have serious minded people, insincerity is a grievous offence on the path of the leaders.

“Nigeria, as a country, has the  resources to meet the need of its people, but the issue of corruption and misappropriation have continued to drag the nation backward.”

He advised students to divert their energies to useful ventures, such as reading and enrolling for computer lessons, rather than engaging in anti-social activities while the strike lasts.