The Governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi on Thursday expressed regret over the rise in cultism among lecturers and students in various varsities in the state.
Umahi aired his concerns while addressing the governing council of the Ebonyi State University and Board of the King David Umahi Federal University of Medical Sciences
He expressed his dislike of the continued strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, which according to him has affected the growth of educational institutions in the country.
According to him: “I spoke about the ASUU strike earlier and I continue to appeal that there is no way the federal government can borrow such an amount to meet the demands of ASUU. There should be a way to dialogue so that the students can go back to school.
“I frown so much about the ASUU strike, and in Nigeria, the strike is not even a strike because when you are on strike, you are supposed not to even earn a salary for the whole period you didn’t work. You can as well be on strike on any slightest thing and so, it is unreasonable to demand salaries while on strike” he stated.
Similarly, the governor frowned at the continued rise in cultism in the state universities and called for the disengagement of any student or lecturer found to be a cultist.
He said: “We will not allow clannishness to becloud our universities. We must fight cultism in our schools. Any person finding doing cultism, the person must go. We in the society where even some lecturers are cultists, we need to be mindful of this’ he stressed.
Earlier in a remark, the chairman of the governing board for the two varsities, Rev. Fr. Abraham Nwali, revealed the preparedness of the board to enhance research that will promote learning in both the Ebonyi State University and the David Umahi federal university of medical science.
The clergy also vowed to fight against copying and paste of research work done by supposed professionals.