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EXCERPTED FROM BUSINESS DAY ONLINE
There are indications that the hierarchy of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) is waiting for the presentation of the 2014 budget by President Goodluch Jonathan before they take a decision on their protracted strike action, BusinessDay investigations have revealed.
Some members of the union suggest that the union is waiting to see the direction of the budget as regards ASUU’s demands.
Inside sources who spoke to BusinessDay on condition of anonymity believe that the strike would be called off once their demands are reflected in the budget expected to be presented to the National Assembly by the President soon.
“Once the next budget contains a section that addresses our demands, ASUU members would have no option than to go back to classes” said one of the striking lecturers.
BusinessDay investigations indicate that the perceived rank breaking move by the Federal Government on ASUU have not achieved the desired result.
Analysts and education watchers assessing the situation, express misgivings about the current situation, observing that even if the hierarchy of ASUU decides to end the over five months-old strike, no meaningful academic work would be achieved by students or their lecturers, with barely two weeks to Christmas.
They maintained that the five months wasted as a result of the strike have already altered the academic calendar and that it would take at least two weeks for academic functions to normalise.
BusinessDay checks across that various campuses reveal that some universities including the University of Nigeria Nsukka, University of Jos, Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) Federal University of Technology Owerri, among others, have resumed, in line with the directive but with little or no academic activities visible.
At the University of Nsukka, the ASUU members refused to return to class and the students have not fully returned to campus, on account of the absence of the lectures while the Federal University of Technology, Owerri chapter of ASUU told the students to disregard the resumption notice by the school management, stating that its members would not go back the classrooms until their agreement with the Federal Government is met.
Asuu StrikeMembers of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) under Ibadan Zone which include FUNAAB, OAU, UI, UNILAG, LASU, TASUED, OOU defied Federal Government’s resumption deadlines which entered into it second day, upholding ASUU’s decision not to resume with 100 percent compliance.
Visits by our correspondents to most of the universities under Ibadan Zone of the union showed that none of ASUU’s members resumed to work as being ordered by the Federal Government through the National Universities Commission (NUC), just as lecture theatres, libraries and campuses generally were deserted, except some cleaners and security men seen observing menial works.
BusinessDay gathered that Senate meeting called by management of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) was not attended by any lecturers under the ASUU, just as our correspondent reports that lecturers under the zone expressed readiness to bear any consequences that might come up as a result of the action and inaction.
Giving the situation report, Biodun Badmus, the FUNAAB ASUU Chairman, who spoke with the media in Abeokuta, affirmed that the strike would continue, as long as the Federal Government did not fulfil its pledges to the ASUU, saying the university lecturers would continue to comply with the ASUU’s directives 100 percent.
“Even the Senate meeting called on Thursday was not attended by any lecturers, we are told anybody that cares to listen that lecturers will observe 100 percent compliance with ASUU’s directives”, Badmus added.
The University of Ibadan chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Monday defied the Federal Government’s directive to resume or get fired by Tuesday.
The university had in a release had asked students to return to campuses on January 4, 2014.
But University of Ibadan ASUU sent a message to its members saying “Dear member, stay calm and remain resolute. There is nothing wrong in asking government to do what it says it will do immediately”.
Speaking on the strike, National Treasurer of ASUU, Ademola Aremu said academic staff cannot be humiliated by government.
The ASUU boss said there is nothing yet to show for the five month old strike if the union returns back to the classroom without documenting and getting the funds it asked for public universities from the federal government.
Aremu who noted that the strike was still fully on course nationwide stated that Information Minister Labaran Maku lied that it has released N45billion to schools as Earned Allowances.
He said that the federal governments should document its claim that it has deposited N200billion in the Central Bank of Nigeria in a letter and communicate with the union, rather engaging in media propaganda.
By: KELECHI EWUZIE & RAZAQ AYINLA
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