There was partial compliance by universities in Ondo State to the strike action called by the leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
While academic activities continued on Tuesday at the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) despite the strike, activities at the Adekunle Ajasin University Akungba Akoko (AAUA) were paralysed due to the School’s mid-semester break.
Tribune Online correspondent who visited FUTA campus noticed that lecturers were busy with classes and attending to other academic activities in the school, while most of the lecturers declined comments on the development.
Students were seen at their various departments and faculties waiting for lectures.
But when contacted, the Chairman of ASUU, FUTA chapter, Dr Olayinka Awopetu, explained that he came back from the NEC meeting where the decision to go on strike was taken.
He stressed that it is necessary for him to brief the ASUU members before embarking on strike and however, said FUTA would join the strike tomorrow.
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Awopetu said: “The way ASUU works when the President declares a strike, every branch chairman is expected to go back to their branches and declare the commencement of the strike in that branch.
“It is given that no matter where you’re in the country, it can’t make you more than three days before you get to your base, we came back from Enugu around 4 pm on Monday and we are going to have exco meeting today, we are calling the congress tomorrow.
“The strike will commence in FUTA tomorrow. The people you see in class now is because they have not heard from the chairman but read about it from the pages of newspapers and social media.
“ASUU does not operate from the instructions of media but follow information only from their chairmen.
Expressing optimism that the school lecturers will comply with the directives, Awopetu said: “The members took a resolution to the NEC that there must be an action and I can assure you that the level of compliance will be 100 per cent. ASUU in FUTA is known for that.
“It is going to be two weeks of definite, comprehensive warning strike and after the two weeks, the situation will be evaluated and decisions will be taken. Decisions will be taken at the level of NEC.”
The ASUU Chairman in AAUA, Dr Simeon Ehiabhi, said though the school was on break, the university’s lecturers will comply with the directives.
According to him, the call for the strike is across the country and all ASUU branches are expected to comply, saying this a national strike, it is a warning strike basically to draw the attention the government to its neglect in the sector.
Ehiabhi said that the Union has proposed an alternative platform to the IPPS, Universities Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS), which the government has turned down.
He said: “We have raised some issues and part of this is that the union has proposed an alternative platform knows as UTAS, Universities Transparency Accountability System, which is an improvement on IPPS but the government has refused to accept the alternative platform.”
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