Abuja -The Minister of Education, Prof. Ruqayyatu  Rufa’I, has appealed to the Academic Staff  Union of Universities (ASUU) to call off its nationwide strike, which began on Monday.

Rufa’I madethe plea in Abuja on Monday at a  media briefing, saying that the attention of the government had been drawn to the indefinite strike called by ASUU from Dec. 5.

She said that following the strike, “ our universities are once again forced to shut down and students are left unattended to.

“I am aware that the request for the passage of the Bill for 65/70 years Retirement age in the University is the major outstanding issue in the FGN/ASUU 2009 Agreement and this has passed the second reading at the National Assembly.’’

The minister appealed to ASUU to call off the strike, saying the  action “ will do no one any good, especially the teaming population of Nigerian students who believe in all of us as major stakeholders’’.

Rufa’I said that the government had invited the leadership of ASUU  to a meeting, to be chaired by  the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Sen. Anyim Pius Anyim, on the Dec. 7.

She expressed optimism that ASUU would embrace dialogue and call off the strike. (NAN)