The Academic staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has punctured the call by the Management of Ambose Alli University (AAU) in Edo State on all returning students for 2020/202 session to resume their academic work.

AAU-ASUU’s stand, was in response to Monday 23rd, May 2022 Memorandum issed by the acting Registrar of the University, Mr. Ambrose Odiase on behalf of the University’s Senate, directed students to return to the school’s halls of residence, effective Thursday 26th May, 2022.

But, Dr. Cyril Oziegbe Onogbosele and Dr. William Odion, Chairperson and Acting Secretary respectively, in a joint statement on Monday night, described the directive contained in the Memorandum of the University as a hoax.

The statement, urged students to ignore the directive, emphasizing that the University is still on strike declared by the national body, pending its suspension by the body and dismissed rumours making the rounds that the University’s branch of ASUU has pulled out of the national strike.

Part of the statement in particular read, “For the avoidance of doubt, ASUU AAU, Ekpoma Chapter is irrevocably committed to the ongoing national strike by our Union and is resolved to resist any attempt to break it.”

“It will be counterproductive to receive students back to the University when our members will not be available to attend to the students or teach because of the ongoing strike” and insisted that “the strike is total and comprehensive”, according to the statement.

It however advised the University Administration to use this period of national strike to resolve the salary crisis in the University to avoid automatic continuation of a strike action in the University after the eventual suspension of the national strike.

The Union also advised the Acting Vice-Chancellor to wary of some desperate power-seeking members of staff who might want to lure or mislead him to the belief that the University could open for academic activities with or without the suspension of the national strike.

The University lecturers further noted that the payment of unpaid salaries and other entitlements of workers in the University; and resolve the brewing problem associated with the non-payment of January 2022 salary to a large number of members of the union for no just reason.

Recall that public Universities lecturers after its National Executive Council meeting began on Sunday night in Abuja on February 14, 2022, declared a warning strike which was later rolled over by ASUU members over alleged failure of the Nigerian government to honour the past agreement it entered with public Universities’ lecturers.

Other issues of concern to ASUU, include non payment of Academic earned allowances, poor working conditions, and alleged refusal by the government to replace the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) with the controversial Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).

 20 total views