17th November, 2016
The warning strike embarked by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has paralyzed academic activities at Ebonyi State University (EBSU).
The nationwide warning strike in its second day was declared to press home ASUU’s demand for the Federal Government to honour and implement the earlier agreement it entered into with the union in 2009.
The failure of the government to implement the 2013 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) it entered into with the union also led to the strike.
NAN correspondent who monitored the strike on Thursday in Abakalili, reports that academic activities at the institution were suspended in compliance with the directive of the national leadership of ASUU.
Addressing newsmen in Abakalili, Prof. Ndubuisi Ideyi, EBSU chairman of ASUU, confirmed that the branch was in full support of the warning strike.
“Our men are in full support of our national leadership, who has directed that ASUU members across the federation should proceed on one-week nationwide warning strike.
“We have suspended all academic activities including project defence and it will remain so within the period of the strike.
“It is unfortunate that the federal government has refused to honour and implement the earlier agreement it entered with the union in 2009 and has also failed to implement the 2013 MoU.
“ASUU is resolute on its position on the demand and will never be intimidated nor be forced to give up on its demand, “Ideyi added.
The chairman, who decried incessant strikes in the nation’s University system, blamed the situation on government who he said, renege on implementing agreements it entered into with the union.
Ideyi called on well meaning Nigerians to intervene in the face-off between the union and the government to avert the further deepening of the crisis in universities.
Some students, who gathered in small groups at the institution discussing the development, expressed fears that the strike might affect the school calendar.
They appealed to the warring parties to go back to the negotiation table.
Mr. Peter Igbo, a final year Psychology student at the University, said that the strike had put on hold the ongoing second-semester examinations.
He urged the government to address the demands of the union.
“The development is a sad one and we are put in a hopeless situation as the ongoing semester examinations have been suspended due to the strike.
“Government and ASUU should head back to the negotiation table to address the issue and save the country’s University education from further deterioration,” Igbo said.
Another student, Mr. George Akam, who is a medical student writing his third-year semester exams, urged all parties in the dispute to sheath their swords and embrace dialogue.
He said that incessant strike in the nation’s universities was affecting academic performance and excellence.
He expressed regret that Universities in the country had in the recent times ranked least in terms of academic rating of world best universities.
“The current strike is an unfortunate development and ASUU on its part did enough to avoid the action.
“I want to appeal to the federal government and other relevant stakeholders in University education to do the needful to save the nation’s universities from the ugly nightmare.
“There is no doubt that the school calendar will be affected if the strike is allowed to degenerate to a full scale indefinite nationwide strike, “Akam said.
Miss Eunice Oko, a post graduate student told NAN that her thesis defence could not hold due to the strike.
She called on ASUU and the federal government to adopt dialogue instead of bickering and muscle-flexing in resolving the dispute.
“I do not support the position of the federal government in reneging on the implementation of the agreement it entered into with the Union, however, I appeal to ASUU to still give room for dialogue,” she said.