Members of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) Chapter on Wednesday joined the ongoing nationwide strike declared by the national body of the union. But lecturers at Lagos State University (LASU) have for the third running maintained partial compliance. While some lecturers made classroom appearances, some stayed away.
Students of LASU said the lecturers should make up their mind on whether to comply fully or not as their action has got the students confused. “You don’t know if your lecturer will show up or not, it is not good for us students”, fumed a student who said he had a lecture today.
Dr Ifeanyichukwu Abada, UNN ASUU chapter’s chairman who briefed newsmen in Nsukka, said lecturers had withdrawn their services after ASUU-UNN congress held on Tuesday.
He said that academic activities have been paralysed at both the UNN and University of Nigeria Enugu Campus (UNEC) until further notice.
“Lecturers in UNN and UNEC have joined the indefinite nationwide strike declared by ASUU national body during the national executives meeting.
“On Tuesday, after holding a congress of the union in Nsukka Main Campus, we went to UNEC to do the same.
“Therefore, members have been briefed on reasons for the strike and were directed to proceed on indefinite strike till further notice,’’ he said.
He said the strike would be comprehensive as lecturers were not expected to teach, attend to any academic meetings or conferences in the university.
“We have set up a monitoring team both In Nsukka and Enugu campus to ensure total compliance as well as to ensure that defaulting members are punished.
“The strike is total and comprehensive until Federal government meets ASUU demands,” he said.
The chairman listed some of the reasons that made ASUU to embark on the strike to include, government poor funding of public universities and attempt to commercialise public universities.
He said that the inability of government to implement some of the agreements reached with ASUU especially that of 2009 was part of the reasons for the strike.
Meanwhile some students who spoke to NAN at the UNN Campus appealed to government to settle with lecturers once and for all to avoid a long strike that could affect their academic calendar.
Desmond Ugwu, a student of Department of Economics, urged government to consider students and implement all agreement reached with ASUU.
“It is a known fact that when two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers. It is the students that are at the receiving end.
“I am pleading with government to solve this ASUU problem once and for all, so as to move the education sector forward,’’ he said.
Kemi Ade of the Department of Psychology urged ASUU to consider its stand in the interest of the students and suspend the strike.
Ade appealed to ASUU to consider going back to the negotiation table with government in order to clear all grey areas.
“I know some of the ASUU demands are aimed at improving infrastructures in public universities but they should suspend the strike and continue negotiation with government.
“This incessant strike in public universities alter academic calendar as well as delay students’ graduation,” she said. (NAN)
