Call off strike, Sultan begs ASUU, doctors

The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, has called on striking workers, particularly, the Academic Staff Union of Universities, to call off their strike and embrace dialogue. The Sultan, while delivering his Eid-el-Kabir message to the Muslim faithful at his palace in Sokoto on Tuesday, urged all striking workers to go back to the negotiation table. He said, “We wish to use this opportunity to call on all those on strikes, especially the university lecturers, to call off their strikes, so as to reduce the suffering of the people. “And they should go back to the negotiation table in order to bring an end to the crisis.” Abubakar also called on the Federal Government to listen to the yearnings of the striking workers. He said, “This creates problems in the development of the country. We call on the government to listen to the complaints of the workers with the intention of solving them. “The workers on their part should always be mindful of the suffering of the teeming populace in the country.” He said the strike by the university lecturers, which is in its fourth month, had caused a lot of hardships to millions of students and their parents. “The strike action of medical workers has, on its part, caused loss of many lives and untold suffering to the sick that cannot afford going to private clinics,” Abubakar said. He also, he expressed concern about the level of insecurity in the country, saying “it is a matter of great concern.” He appealed to all Muslims to live peacefully with all and avoid acts of violence. The religious leader said, “The prophet of Allah (peace be upon him) has cursed anyone who serves as a source of insecurity. “As a result of this, we wish to call on the politicians, especially those holding executive positions, to help in ensuring the security of this country and to conduct themselves in truth and with the fear of Allah.” He said, such would lead to the desired progress and peace in the nation. “They should consider the security situation of the country and try to improve the lot of the people who elected them, so as to bring meaningful development to the nation,” he said.