ASUU strike ‘ll soon be called off, says Okojie

Prof. Julius Okojie, Executive
Secretary of the National Universities
Commission (NUC) says he is confident that the protracted strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) will soon be called off.
Okojie, who spoke on Wednesday in Abuja at a
media parley with journalists, said the
commission was doing everything within its
powers to ensure a speedy resolution of the
issues raised by ASUU so that students could
return school.
"We are part of the system and we understand
the issues, we are meeting with members of the union all the time and the issues are being tackled.
"So, we are optimistic the strike will soon be called off and our children can go back t school in the shortest possible time.''
He also reacted to the call by ASUU for NUC to be scrapped, saying "the call is not in good faith as the commission has not gone to sleep over its duties".
Also speaking on the recurrent
disagreements between the commission and some professional bodies over accreditation and running of certain courses by some
universities, Okojie acknowledged that there were issues that needed to be resolved between both parties.
"There is no country in the world where
regulatory bodies and professional bodies go
to regulate at the same time.
"So, it is true we are having problems with
professional bodies in carrying out our
mandate, but the issues too will soon be
resolved and we can move on.
The executive secretary, who said that the
commission had closed many faculties not fit
to run courses in certain universities,
admitted that; "it is not easy to be a
regulator''.
According to him, the commission was "silently regulating the system'' having to also pay professional fees and encourage professors to do accreditation. (NAN)