By O.V Collins

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma has opposed the directive of the Management of the school which instructed AAU Students to return to campus on Thursday, 26th May, 2022, ACJ_UNIBEN reporting.

ASUU AAU in a communique signed by the Chairman Dr Cyril Oziegbe Onogbosele and Acting secretary Dr William Odion of Ekpoma branch, informed the general public that lecturers in the university are still on strike and would remain on strike until its suspension by the national leadership of the union.

“The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Ambrose Alli University (AAU) Ekpoma Chapter yesterday maintained that lecturers in the University are still on strike and will remain on strike till its suspension by the national leadership of the Union.

“In a swift reaction to the University’s memorandum of Monday 23, May 2022, signed by the Acting Registrar, Mr. Ambrose Odiase which directed students to return to the University’s halls of residence, effective Thursday 26th May, 2022, the University’s Chapter of ASUU dismissed any possibility of a resumption of academic activities in the institution in the face of the ongoing national strike embarked upon by the Union”, the communique read.

The Union dismissed rumours making the rounds that the university’s branch of ASUU has pulled out of the national strike, advising 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.

In a statement signed by Dr. Cyril Oziegbe Onogbosele and Dr. Willam Odion, Chairperson and Acting Secretary respectively, the Union said, “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.”

The Union said in the statement that “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 on-going strike” and insisted that “the strike is total and comprehensive.”

“The Union wishes to appeal to our esteemed students to remain at home till the suspension of the nation strike and the subsequent resolution of the crisis of salaries in the University, It also advised the University Administration not to give a false hope of resumption of academic activities in AAU in the face of the ongoing national strike and without resolving the crisis of unpaid salaries, check-off dues and other sundry deductions. The Union counseled the students to remain at home till the suspension of the national strike and the subsequent resolution of the crisis of salaries in the University.

Advising parents and guardians of the university studemts, the Union said, “ASUU AAU, Ekpoma is fully on strike and therefore should be guided not to risk the lives of our dear children by allowing them to travel unnecessarily because of a directive to return to halls of residence when there will be no academic activities.”

“The strike has not been suspended and it would therefore be unwise to bring students back to the deserted university campus”, the Union said.

In conclusion, the Union went on to advise the Acting Vice-Chancellor to beware 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 payment of unpaid salaries and other entitlements of workers in the University; and the brewing problem of non-payment of January 2022 salary to a large number of members of the union for no just reason.

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