Use trip funds to settle salaries, end strike – Philanthropist advises Radda
A philanthropist and Waziri Matazu, Hon. Zaharaddeen Babba Mazoji, has called on the Governor of Katsina State, Dikko Umar Radda, to cut short his foreign trip and return home to resolve the ongoing strike at Umaru Musa Yar’adua University (UMYU), Katsina.
In a statement released on Monday in Katsina, Hon. Mazoji said the strike had left many students stranded and disrupted their academic activities, urging the governor to show leadership by addressing the issue immediately.
“I am appealing to His Excellency, Governor Dikko Radda, to return home and take charge of resolving the UMYU strike. Our students are suffering, some are stuck in hostels while others have returned home without any certainty about their future,” he said.
Hon. Mazoji advised the governor to channel the resources meant for his foreign trip toward settling the grievances of academic and non-academic staff of the university.
“The amount of money allocated for the governor’s trip would be better used to pay several months’ worth of salaries for the university staff,” he added.
“That would go a long way in ending the strike and restoring normal academic activities.”
The philanthropist stressed that the prolonged strike was negatively affecting students and parents across the state.
He noted that education should always be a top priority for the government.
Hon. Mazoji also urged all stakeholders in the education sector to work together to ensure that the university reopens as soon as possible.
