Ekumankama Joseph Nkama, one of the Minister-designates screened by the Senate has called for a compromise between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
Nkama also advocated an increased budgetary allocation to the education sector by the National Assembly as a solution to the incessant ASUU strike.
Speaking on ASUU’s protracted industrial action, he said, “There will be the need for compromise. For a very long time, ASUU has been sticking to its guns that all the agreements reached earlier must be implemented. And we know that from the same source – the same national purse – there are several contending interests seeking attention.
“My advice will be that the Federal Government and ASUU will have to come to a compromise, and through this, we would be able to solve the issue of the ASUU strike once and for all. I know the importance of budgetary provision. I want to appeal to the Senate that when the budget is being made for the coming year, there will be adequate provision for the education sector so that some of these needs that the ASUU members are asking for as a union will be met.”
The Senate, on Wednesday, screened and confirmed the seven ministerial nominees whose names were sent last week by President Muhammadu Buhari for confirmation.
The screening, which started around noon, lasted till 4.37pm.
Those screened and confirmed include Henry Ikoh (Abia), Umana Umana (Akwa-Ibom) and Ekumankama Nkama (Ebonyi).
Others are Goodluck Opiah (Imo), Umar El-Yakub (Kano), Ademola Adegoroye (Ondo) and Udi Odum (Rivers).
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