Rose Ejembi, Makurdi
Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has enjoined the Academic Staff Union of Universities, (ASUU) to end its prolonged strike and register for the Federal Government’s Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System, (IPPIS).
The Governor who made the appeal at the Government House in Makurdi when he played host to the leadership of the National Union of Benue State Students, (NUBESS) who paid him a solidarity visit on Thursday.
The Governor who maintained that that he was always ready to applaud friendly programmes of the Federal Government as well as criticize the harsh ones stated that the IPPIS policy should be commended because it was designed to introduce sanity into the accounting system.
The Governor also informed the students that the N50 million he had earlier approved for payment of bursary allowances had been released to the Scholarship Board and directed his Chief of Staff to liaise with the Education Commissioner to ensure its immediate payment.
Governor Ortom lamented the long stay of students at home partly as.a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the continued ASUU strike, pointing out that it would be in the interest of all for ASUU to end the industrial action.
The Governor also gave a thumb up to the students and the entire Benue youths for remaining peaceful and law abiding since the beginning of the End SARS and End ASUU strike protests, stressing that they had demonstrated maturity and understanding.
Governor Ortom frowned at the hasty manner in which the Federal Government responded to the protests, and particularly the way the Nigerian Police were treated in the country, saying the force needed holistic reformation in terms of funding, training and equipment.
Earlier, NUBESS National President, Comrade Tiv Joshua Lubem, commended the Governor for his giant strides in education, just as he called on the Governor to appeal to ASUU to suspend its ongoing strike.