An Abuja-based lawyer, Pelumi Olajengbesi, has appealed to chief executive officers of banks and billionaire businessmen to pay off the N1.1 trillion demands by the Academic Staff Union of Universities. Following comments from Ebonyi Governor Dave Umahi, who said that the government could not borrow N1.1 trillion to satisfy ASUU's demands, he made his appeal.
Said Olajengbesi:
"The All Progressives Congress governor's remark is unkind and disrespectful to the millions of students attending public colleges who have been staying at home since February 14, 2022, the day ASUU began its strike action this year.
"The governor's assertion that the current administration cannot borrow N1.1 trillion to pay for the Revitalization Fund and the Earned Academic Allowance owed to ASUU is foolish. The Nigerian debt to China increased from $3.26 billion as of September 30, 2020, to $3.59 billion as of September 30, 2021, a rise of $330 million in a single year, as a result of the APC government's borrowing binge since 2015. The number has unquestionably increased during the past year.
"The APC government must understand that the foundation of any progress is education. Without developing the mind, spending loans on train and White Elephant projects is pointless. Without the growth of human capital, infrastructure development is useless.
"After demonstrating its unwillingness to end the ASUU strike despite the enormous sums of money that Umahi's APC received in the most recent primary elections, good-hearted Nigerians can only appeal to business leaders like Aliko Dangote, Femi Otedola, Abdul Samad Rabiu, Mike Adenuga, as well as bank chiefs, to come to the aid of the common Nigerians whose children have been out of school for seven months this year and nine months.
"The benefactors should kindly heed the nation's appeal for young people to return to school, as some of them may be seduced into committing crimes as a result of inactivity."
#Asuu #Otedola #Dangote #Lecturer
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