Daily Sun gathered that the results of the referendum conducted in all the public universities were collated and sent to the headquarters of the union in Abuja for a final decision. The outcome of the referendum is the ongoing strike. Academic activities in university campuses across the nation were grounded, with exams suspended in some cases, as the strike got underway. At the University of Ibadan, the strike halted examinations for postgraduate students in some faculties.
The ASUU branch chairman in UI, Dr. Deji Omole, explained that the industrial action was a fallout of the abysmal level of implementation of the 2009 ASUU/FGN agreement, 2013 MoU and the shortfall in salaries, leading to part-payment of staff salaries, kidnap of two lecturers of the University of Maiduguri by Boko Haram sect among others.
Omole warned that the full enforcement of the strike would begin today (Tuesday) in compliance with the directives of the national body of the union. Daily Sun gathered that students in the Department of Psychology, who were to begin their examinations yesterday could not because of the strike. Also, examinations could not begin at the Faculty of the Social Sciences. A mail sent by Omole to the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Idowu Olayinka, to officially notify him of the strike, read in part:
“We write to inform you that the observance of the strike will include: no teaching, no examination, no supervision, no attendance of the statutory meetings of any kind and other academic matters. In line with the national directive of the union, our members will henceforth withdraw their services till the end of the strike.” At the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), administrative activities were paralysed following the indefinite strike declared on Monday by Joint Action Committee of Non-Teaching Staff Trade Unions (JAC) of University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN).
Members of the executive present when the resolution to embark on the indefinite strike was taken include: SSANU Chairman, Paul Erua, NAAT Chairman Emma Mbaoji and NASU Chairman, Clifford Amoke. Addressing members, Erua said they are embarking on the strike because of the failure of the university to pay their deserved allowances such as hazard allowance, overtime, shift allowance, union check-off dues as well as 15 percent deducted from the June salary, etc.
To ensure full compliance of the indefinite strike, the union set up a 10-man monitoring committee to enforce the strike on erring members. About 500 members of the union were present during the congress where the decision to embark on the strike was taken. In a swift reaction, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Benjamin Ozumba, described the decision of leaders of JAC to call the non-academic staff of the university to strike as misleading, noting that it was not the responsibility of management to pay allowances but of Federal Government’s.
To substantiate his claim, Ozumba tendered a circular from the office of the accountant general dated 4th July, 2017 directing ministries, departments and agencies to submit detailed schedules of the shortfalls and allowances owed civil servants for the payment of eligible officers and beneficiaries.
The VC urged workers to go about their normal duties warning that failure to come to work would attract strict application of no-work-no-pay civil service rule. Efforts to speak with ASUU-UNN Chairman, Dr. Ifeanyichukwu Abada, failed, as calls put across to his mobile phones went unanswered.
But, the Ebonyi State University’s chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), yesterday, backed out of the strike. At the College of Agriculture Science campus, some lecturers were seen carrying out normal academic activities, while many students were seen in their classes receiving lectures. Others gathered in groups discussing the industrial action.
At the School of Medicine, a senior staff who did not want to be named, said the leadership of the union was yet to communicate to them on the resolution of the national body, adding that until that is done, they would continue to discharge their duties. At the permanent site of the institution, students, lecturers and other staff were also seen teaching and receiving lectures.
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