Press Releases

Fashola Reiterates Appeal To Teachers To End Strike

Mar 8, 2009 - As the nationwide strike called by the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), enters the third week, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN) has once again appealed to teachers in the country to reconsider their stand and return to the classrooms in the interests of the children.

Governor Fashola, who spoke with newsmen at the Murtala Mohammed Airport, Ikeja, on his arrival from Accra, Ghana Sunday afternoon, enjoined the teachers to understand that there are times when everyone has to make a sacrifice in the over all interest of the country and people, adding that it becomes even more important when such sacrifice is in the interest of the upcoming generation.

“I continue to appeal to the teachers that there is a time when all of us have to make a sacrifice, especially in the interest of our children”, the Governor said pointing out that in the Education Sector, both the teachers and pupils are stakeholders.

According to Governor Fashola, “The State has the abiding commitment to ensure that we deliver a qualitative Education so that we can begin to produce the required human resource that will sustain the development which this State and this country need to overcome its economic and other challenges”.

He declared further,” For the teachers, we owe them the duty to ensure that they are well motivated in all aspects, and as I said before, it is not just the salaries. Their demands are legitimate. Let us not make any errors about this, their aspirations are legitimate for everybody who wants an increase and better quality of life. Whether these aspirations can be actualized within a given environment is entirely another matter”.

Governor Fashola, who said that welfare does not start and end with salaries alone, also declared, “Welfare involves security, it involves healthcare and efficient transportation and besides, if they earn all those salaries, they have to spend them in an economy that works, where transportation is both accessible and affordable. It also involves the education of their children. We are providing free Education. So that is the totality of welfare package not only for the teachers, but for the entire citizens of the State. As I said before, I continue to appeal to the teachers to consider their stand. These are challenging economic times, not just locally, but internationally”

Responding to a question on the Electoral Reforms, Governor Fashola said the most important thing about the reform is not the legislation but the people, pointing out that no matter the number of legislation made on the reform it is the peoples’ attitude that will determine its workability.

The Governor declared, “First of all I will like to say that the President has a Cabinet. I think we must accord some deference to the men and women who make up that Cabinet and who are reviewing the details of the Reform. On our part, we think that the most important thing about the Electoral Reform is not just the legislation, it is the people”.

“Let us always remember that we conducted the last elections under certain rules, and sets of law, under certain regulations”, Governor Fashola said, adding that it is equally important to acknowledge the role that the Judiciary has played in leading the Electoral Reform from the front.

He continued, “If you have all of the new laws and you do not have people who have the new attitude, certainly, there would be no reform, and make no mistake about it. And, therefore, the change and reform we must have must be about people”, adding that the leadership must, at this time, send a clear message that certain conducts must not be permissible again during elections.

According to the Governor, “One of such conducts, I recommend, is to begin to sanction everybody who has been found to have played a less than acceptable role in all of the election petitions that have been adjudicated upon”, adding that where the courts have said there were no elections or there were irregularities, men and women entrusted with the responsibilities of conducting elections in those places should be sanctioned.

“We must call them to give account now. To me that will be the real electoral reform that the judiciary has started and we must follow”, Governor Fashola said, reiterating, “We can make all of the laws, but we will continue to make the same mistakes if we don’t shift the goal post”.

He said the whole thing is all about people, pointing out that at the end of the day it is the people who will man the polling stations, collate the results and carry the results to their final destinations. “Until we say that today, no more of electoral irregularities and malpractices, no amount of reform will change our electoral system”.

On the possible lessons derivable from Ghana’s 52nd Independence, Governor Fashola who said Nigerians must also begin to think of Nigeria as it turns 50 as an independent country next year, declared that Nigeria has travelled well even if she would have travelled faster.

He said a lot would depend on how we perceive the challenges facing the nation and urged people to see a situation where the glass is half full rather than half empty.