ASUU strike: Church sets up educational fund to support FG

The Christ Livingspring Apostolic Ministry (CLAM ), Lagos, has launched a non-political platform, ‘Back to School Intervention Fund’ to assist the Federal Government in resolving the challenges in the education sector.

How it happend: This was disclosed by the Senior Pastor of CLAM, Wole Oladiyun, during a press conference on Friday, October 7, 2022.

According to The Punch, Oladiyun noted that the time had come for well-meaning Nigerians at home and in the diaspora to show concern for the plight of the students whose future was being threatened by the constant interruptions in university education.

He stated that neither he nor the church would supervise the proposed intervention fund, rather, it would be contracted to reputable financial consulting firms like the KPMG, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and Akintola Williams Firms, amongst others to help in actualising the project.

Oladiyun added that other trusted personalities would be drafted into the panel set up to interface with the government.

He, therefore, called on financial institutions, Oil and Gas Industry operators, manufacturing companies, religious institutions and all members of the organised private sector to ensure that the initiative sees the light of day, adding that it has become urgent for students to resume back to school as soon as possible.

Oladiyun's word: “We will run a very transparent process and ensure that there is accountability. That is why we are not doing it alone. Let me use this opportunity to humbly invite churches, mosques, financial institutions, Oil and Gas Industry operators, manufacturing companies, and all members of the Organised Private Sector to join us on this rescue mission. This is a ‘Save Our Soul’ mission, an emergency that requires timely, measured, and sustainable remedial strategies.

“We are also appealing to Nigerians in the Diaspora to join us in contributing to the fund.

“We will also be calling on members of the National Assembly, governors, and all categories of political office holders to be ready to make sacrifices in terms of contributing a part of their salaries and allowances to this fund. We are all in this together.”

ASUU strike: While commenting on the state of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike, Oladiyun said it's unproductive to continue to blame either the government or the union for the impasse.

Oladiyun's word: “ASUU has been on strike for eight months and students have been forced to stay at home and efforts to resolve the strike actions have been abortive.

“We cannot continue to blame any of the parties involved, rather, CLAM has decided to spearhead the involvement of the country’s education stakeholders to show concern for the plight of Nigerian students whose future is being threatened as a result of the continuous strike action and closure of universities.”