…as ASUU warns against disruption of lectures
The ongoing nationwide strike embarked upon by the non-teaching staff of Nigerian universities has paralysed non-academic and business activities in various campuses in Lagos and other states across the country.
The association under the umbrella of the Joint Action Committee had on December 5, 2017 embarked on a nationwide industrial action to press home their demands.
The union, which comprises the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities and the National Association of Academic Technologists are agitating for the implementation of the 2009 Agreement it entered into with the Federal Government.
Other demands made by the union include the payment of earned allowances to members, a review of the governance system in universities, improved funding in line with UNESCO recommendation as well as the implementation of CONTISS 14 and 15 for Technologists, improvement of teaching and learning facilities in the universities and end to corruption in the university system, among others.
Our correspondent, who visited the two universities in Lagos-the Lagos State University, Ojo, and the University of Lagos, Akoka during the week-noted that both non-academic and business activities had been crippled at the campuses of these institutions.
Our correspondent also gathered that at UNILAG, offices were closed, while some staff were seen in the campus discussing in groups the on-going strike, but refused to settle down for work in their offices.
At the office of the UNILAG Vice Chancellor, only security men were seen, while other offices in the building remained under lock and key.
It was also gathered that members of the schools’ unions were having a meeting with the management of their institutions during the week, but the outcome of the meeting was not made known to other staff.
However, a member of NASU, who spoke to our correspondent under anonymity, said the meeting deliberated on the on-going strike and was attended by both teaching and non-teaching staff of the institution.
He disclosed that members resolved to comply with the directives of the national leadership of the various unions in the university, despite the management’s plea for them not to join.
A fresh student, who spoke to our correspondent, lamented that he just came to the institution from Port Harcourt to begin his admission registration, but due to the strike, the institution suspended the entire process, which he said had already cost him some money.
“Ever since I got to Lagos, I have been staying in a hotel close to the school, hoping that I would finish the registration process on time and secure my permanent accommodation and leave the hotel. Now that the school has suspended the registration process, I have to continue paying hotel bills,” he said.
Our correspondent also noted that the situation was not different at the Lagos State University in Ojo as there was a lull in activities in the university.
One of the business owners at LASU, Mr. Ayo Onikoyi, told our correspondent that sales had declined since the strike began and pleaded with the Federal Government and the relevant unions to settle their differences in the interest of the society.
“Government should devise a system by which they can speedily look at all the issues that are outstanding right now and discuss with the unions and address them without necessarily waiting until they go on strike. The strikes are not good for our staff, students, and even we, business owners, who eke out a living in the school premises on a daily basis,”
he said.
A medical student at the University of Ibadan told our correspondent that the availability of the buses plying the campus routes had reduced drastically, resulting in gridlock at the institution’s main gates as many students and visitors to the campus had to trek a long distance to their destinations.
”Our hostels are nothing to write home about because the cleaners have refused to come and clean them. All the refuse bins are filled up and everywhere is littered. NASU should resolve their issues with the Federal Government so that school activities will be back to normal,”
he said.
The President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, told our correspondent that every worker had a right to ask for his or her dues.
Ogunyemi said such a right was inalienable, adding that NASU had the right to use any legal means they deemed fit to ask for their
dues.
“Nobody can deny them; so I don’t have anything against it. They have the right to proceed on their action provided that they don’t disturb others who are working, particularly the academic staff. Unions have a right to execute their struggles in the best manner deemed necessary. However, no worker has the right to disturb other groups who are not their members from working .
You cannot say that since I belong to union A, my strike should be made to affect those that belong to union B or C. That must be made clear, that they don’t have to disturb our members from working,” he said.
