The House of Representatives said on Thursday that it was ready to approve a supplementary budget if that would end the strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities.
The position of the House was made known by the Speaker, Mr. Aminu Tambuwal, after the House was briefed on efforts by its Committee on Education to end the strike.
The committee is chaired by Mr. Aminu Suleiman.
The Speaker appealed to the Federal Government and the striking lecturers to quickly reach an understanding and suspend the strike.
He observed that Nigeria would pay dearly for the lost academic time in the future if the strike was allowed to continue.
Tambuwal added, “Let me use this opportunity to appeal to both the Executive arm and the authorities of ASUU to please quickly resolve the problem. And if there is need for any appropriation, the House will expeditiously assent to it in the interest of our students and the nation.”

SENATE President David Mark barely stopped short of calling those who negotiated the 2009 Federal Government agreement with the Academic Staff Union of Universities foolish.

Mark said the government negotiators couldn’t differentiate between their right and left hands and that the ASUU leadership took advantage of their ignorance.