ASUU OAU accuses non-teaching staff unions of lawlessness

AS the strike embarked upon by the Non-teaching staff unions of Nigerian universities persists, the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), has raised the alarm over what it termed as a gradual descent into lawlessness by the non-teaching staff of the university.

Members of the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) have been on strike nationwide to protest the ‘unfair’ formula use to share the N23 billion released by the federal government for the payment of the contentious earned allowance – 89% of which has been allegedly allocated to ASUU.

In a statement signed by the chairman of the OAU ASUU, Dr Caleb Aborisade, arising from its congress held on December 13, 2017, the union said the non-teaching staff unions had turned the situation into an avenue to perpetrate “all sorts of brutality, harassment and, in some cases, criminality against members of ASUU.”

The statement said the members of ASUU had been serially beaten and driven out of their classes or statutory university committee meetings.

It also expressed its disappointment at the way the university administration had looked the other way while all the illegality was being perpetrated, leading to the shutting down of the university and the postponement of the convocation.

It reads further: “We are not against their quest for a just and humane working environment. However, what is playing out here on our campus is no longer an industrial action but a resort to criminal behaviour aimed at our members for no just cause or reason!”

It, therefore, called on the university administration to take immediate action to restore peace on campus and guarantee the safety of life and property of the university community, “and especially our members who after all, are not on strike.”

“The university administration has tarried for too long; we demand immediate restoration of electricity and water, both essential amenities for a decent living, and unimpeded movement around the university estate as well as protection taking into consideration that our members have become the target of attacks for reasons best known to the assailants,” it said.