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| Dr D Aina |
To students of Kogi State University who just recently resumed from a
three months old strike action, the issue of non-payment of lecturers’
entitlements should by this time be a history in the institution. But
their academic hope has just been dashed as lecturers of the institution
have threatened to embark on another indefinite strike, as soon as the
one week national warning strike by Academic Staff Union of Universities
is completed.
The Chairperson of the KSU branch of ASUU, Dr D.O. Aina relayed this to
newsmen on Tuesday at the union’s secretariat after meeting with members
of the union to resolve on issues bothering on their demands.
It would be recalled that the union embarked on an indefinite strike on
March 2016 which lasted for three months before it was called off.
The three months strike gained a national attention and was later laid
to rest after students of the institution took to the streets of
Lokoja, the State Capital, and blocked the major roads while demanding
for an on the spot resolution that would return them back to school.
According to Dr Aina, the agreement they reached with the state
government before they called off the three months old strike has been
breached on all sides, hence the need to down tools again to press home
their demands.
“We expect the Kogi State Government to defray all outstanding salaries
of all our members within this period of warning strike to forestall
further disruption of academic activities in Kogi State University. The
Union will not continue to fold its arms while our members suffer untold
hardships in being able to feed, transport and fulfill their statutory
obligations.
“We cry out once more, where is the government that says it should be trusted? Where is the benefit of doubt?” he said.
He explained that part of the problems the institution is facing is due
to the refusal of the state governor in constituting the University’s
Governing Council since his assumption, hence hampering proper
functioning of the system.
According to him, after the completion of the national warning strike,
the Union will begin its indefinite strike as soon as it receives
approval from the national secretariat.
On the implication of the industrial action to academic activities,
recourse was made to the mass exodus of senior lecturers from the
institution to the welfare conscious ones in the country.
Dr Aina said that the former strike had affected the academic calendar
to the point that the institution would not be able to graduate any set
in 2016, adding that some faculties especially the Natural Sciences are
just about commencing their first semester exam in the 2015/2016
academic session, and that not even such faculties would be exempted in
their intended strike action.
“The strike is total and comprehensive i.e. no teaching, no examination
and no attendance at official calls of any kind except with the
permission from the Chairperson,” he said.
However, the union has called on “well meaning Kogites, influential
stakeholders and Royal Fathers to interface so that the University
activities may continue unhindered.”
