Justina Uzo
Aleading light in the tourism industry in the country and the Father of Nigeria Tourism, Chief Mike Amachree has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to, as a matter of urgency, do everything within his power to end the lingering strike action by teachers in Nigerian government-owned universities under the aegis of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) so that the students can return to classes.
He said, as tourism industry practitioners, they are aware that there couldn’t be tourism practice without a peaceful environment and that’s the reason he was making it a point of duty to appeal that the strike should end.
Amachree, President, Centre for Promotion of Peace, Tourism and Culture (CEPTAC) in a press statement, said the lingering strike action is giving a bad image to the country.
“Our students are supposed to be in the higher institutions acquiring the necessary education that will help them in the future to build the nation; instead they are at home as a result of the lecturers’ strike.”
The Port-Harcourt-based tourism operator, pointed out what the situation may result to: “The implication is that if government does not find solution to this long strike, they (our children) will grow to become vagabonds and become a menace to the society.
“I am therefore calling on the Federal Government to, as a matter of urgency, resolve the issue. Delay in opening the universities will have future negative effects on the country.
“This prolong strike is also authenticating the notion among some foreigners that Nigerians prefer to study in foreign countries than developing the education sector in their own country.
“That is why we are not bothered about the closure of universities.”
Moreover, he said the prolong strike may also leave many citizens with the notion that the political class prefers to take their children outside the country to enjoy uninterrupted education while allowing the parents and students in Nigeria to continue to suffer from the prolonged strike action.
“The strike is making the children waste away at home.
It could lead them to crimes that they would not have engaged in if they were in schools,” he lamented.
Amachree regretted that the country is experiencing an upsurge in kidnapping, banditry and other anti-social activities.
“By not keeping the youths busy in the tertiary institutions, some may be lured into crime and the country will be worse for it,” he noted.
He therefore appealed to the federal government to see to the reopening of the universities without further delay.
