Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has urged students of Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma, to support ongoing reforms to reposition the institution.
The governor said this during a courtesy visit by the executives of the Student Union Government (SUG) led by the President, Osamagbe Eghobamien at the Government House in Benin City.
Obaseki urged the students not to allow themselves to be used by some elements within the school community to distract the government from its vision to reposition the institution.
He said, “I need to do some real clean up in your school. It is in your interest to stay and persuade your colleagues because if there is any strike action and the school is shut down by the government, it is not going to be in your interest.
“Your school, as far as I am concerned, is open. If you people have gone on strike, we want to resolve that. I advise the other unions to be responsible. Please do whatever you can to advise them. They are pushing us to take a certain decision that will not be in your interest.
“Let the rest of your colleagues know this: I don’t want to do what they are pushing me to do. Strike as a tool for negotiation is old fashioned. I have a choice to leave the school as it is so that you guys can resolve the problems that you have, but over time, your certificate will not be worth much and you can’t do much in the world with it except we reposition the school to be more forward-looking,” he noted.
Obaseki added, “Let us face the problems once and for all. I know we like shortcuts. The world has changed. For us as a government, whatever will not last, we will not do.”
The deputy governor, Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu noted: “As a government, it’s about the future of the school and the students and how your certificate will be meaningful.”
Earlier, the SUG President, Osamagbe Eghobamien, assured members of the public that the students would not embark on the planned protest earlier planned for Wednesday, May 5, 2021.
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