The Governor made the appeal, Wednesday, when he received in audience members of the Governing Council of the Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO), who paid a working visit to him at Government House Owerri.
Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma has begged the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to call off its ongoing strike.
According to him, the reason is to allow students go back to school.
The Governor made the appeal, Wednesday, when he received in audience members of the Governing Council of the Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO), who paid a working visit to him at Government House Owerri.
Governor Uzodimma, who appealed specifically to the FUTO branch of ASUU to “allow students studying in the university to go back to school” urged all parties in the ASUU/FG saga to sheathe their sword and allow the sleeping dog lie.
What the leaders of Nigeria owe our future generation is to ensure that they are given the opportunity to acquire knowledge and be better citizens in future.”
While acknowledging that education is an expensive project to acquire, Uzodinma said “when the foundation is laid and infrastructure like that of FUTO is put on ground as a platform, it is the civic responsibility of the leaders to support the institution to maximize their objective.”
He expressed delight at receiving the Governing Council of FUTO led by the Pro-Chancellor and the Chairman of the Governing Council Senator, Jack Tilley-Gyado.
The Governor said that “education is the key ingredient for national development, so it is the responsibility of leaders in the country to resolve issues and controversies that tend to impede the academic progress of her youths.”
On the controversies surrounding land allocation in FUTO, the governor noted that he has gone the extra mile to investigate the problems and related matters, noting that he believes the problems can be resolved amicably.
He therefore appealed to both the natives and the visitors to the school, the management, staff and students to see the need for the school to operate in a peaceful environment by creating a win-win situation for all interested parties. “This will allow FUTO community enjoy the adorable Imo hospitality.”
Governor Uzodimma highlighted the unwarranted traffic that criss-crosses the University premises and expressed the need for it to be stopped.
He then challenged the FUTO Governing Council to “think out of the box and see the university as a business school that will be able to fund itself and even make profit so that the reliance on Federal allocation or subsidy will be far reduced.”