Lecturers in Modibbo Adama University of Technology (MAUTECH), Yola, have resolved to continue with the ongoing nationwide strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
The Federal Government had directed all federal universities to end the six-month-old strike and resume work on Monday.
The university’s ASUU Chairman, Mr Augustine Ndaghu, made the disclosure on Monday in Yola in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
Ndaghu said majority of the more than 300 members of the union in the university who attended the latest meeting voted overwhelmingly for continuation of the strike.
He said “with this development, our members will not respond to the government’s directive to resume work.
“In fact, none of our members has signed the register to resume work.
“Ours is a peaceful strike as far as nobody will attempt to force us back to class to go and teach.’’
The ASUU Chairman of Adamawa State University (ADSU), Mubi, Mr Molem Ishaku, said lecturers in the institution had also agreed to continue the strike.
He said “in the first place, it was not the government that told us to go on strike and therefore it should not insist that we must go back to work.’’
Commenting on the development, the Protocol and Information Officer of MAUTECH, Malam Mustafa Migawa, said the university had received Federal Government circular regarding the opening of the university and had commenced implementation.
Migawa said forms had been sent to the various departments of the school to be filled by lecturers who wish to resume work.
He added that “I can’t say how many lecturers have filled the forms signifying their interest to resume work now.
“We shall wait and see if the response of the lecturers is positive or not, and that will prompt the school management’s next line of action.’’
Meanwhile, a News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent who visited MAUTECH and ADSU reports that the campuses were empty, as there were no students.
The story is the same at the Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, as the lecturers also resolved to continue with the six-month old strike.
The ASUU Chairman in the institution, Dr Faruk Tambuwal, told NAN on Monday in Sokoto that “our position on the strike remains the same and the strike continues.
“This is in disregard to the Dec. 10 ultimatum given by the Federal Government for us to resume work or be sacked.’’
He said the union held its congress meeting on Dec. 3 and members resolved to continue with the strike.
Tambuwal added that “it was also resolved at the meeting that nobody will sign any register.
“The sack threat is an empty one and it is not going to work because union members are still insisting on the payment of the salary arrears and inclusion of the non-victimisation clause in ASUU’s recent agreement with the Federal Government, among others.’’
Meanwhile, the university’s management had opened registers in the two campuses of the institution, as contained in a statement issued by the Registrar, Alhaji Kakale Jabo.
The statement quoted the registrar as saying “the salaries of members of the union were stopped since September, in line with the no-work, no-pay policy.
In Kano, lecturers of the Bayero University Kano (BUK) on Monday defied Federal Government’s directive to return to work.
NAN reports that none of the lecturers resumed work at both the old and new site of the university and most offices remained locked.
A security guard at the Faculty of Arts and Islamic Studies, who spoke on condition of anonymity at the new site said none of the lecturers reported to work as at 11 a.m.
“I have not seen any of the lecturers within the premises since 7.30 a.m. when I reported to work.’’
The ASUU secretariat at the old site was also deserted but a security guard was seen watching the structure.
When contacted on phone, the ASUU Chairman, Dr Mahmoud Lawal, said the lecturers would not return to work until their demands were met.
He added that “government did not order the closure of the universities, so, how can it order it to reopen?. We have addressed a news conference and made our stand clear last week.’’
At ABU Zaria, the story is the same as lecturers also defied Federal Government’s directive to return to class.
NAN reports that all the lecture halls and offices remained closed on Monday as no lecturer was seen at the Samaru and Kongo campuses.
When contacted, Dr Mohammed Kabir-Aliyu, the Chairman of ASUU, ABU chapter, said the union did not call-off the ongoing strike.
He said “we didn’t call-off the strike. We are strictly adhering to the directives of our national body and not anyone else.
“The Federal Government cannot give us directive to go back. We will not resume work until the national body directs us to do so.’’
It is the same story at University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) as lecturers there too remained away from school and as lecture theatres remained closed.
A NAN correspondent who visited the university campus in Maiduguri on Monday reports that academic halls were empty.
Dr Musa Abdullahi, the university’s ASUU Chairman, said in a statement in Maiduguri that the strike would continue until the demands of the union were met.
The statement noted that “the UNIMAID chapter of ASUU has found it necessary to address the public so as to clear the union’s stand on issues surrounding the strike.
Malam Ahmed Mohammed, the institution’s Chief Information Officer, told NAN that the authorities were waiting to hear from ASUU before taking a decision.
He said “we cannot just announce the re-opening of the institution without hearing from ASUU.’’
Lecturers at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Bauchi (ATBU) have also refused to resume to work on Monday.
Alhaji Zailani Bappa, the Principal Public Relations Officer of the university, said the lecturers were expected to resume on Wednesday and not Monday.
He said the decision to ask the lecturers to resume on Wednesday came up after the Senate held a meeting on Dec. 5.
The Federal Government had asked university council to conduct meetings to decide when to ask their various lecturers to resume and also when to ask the students to resume.
“The council met on Dec. 5 and came up with a resolution that all lecturers should resume by Dec. 11,’’ he said.
He added that by the end of Wednesday, the council would decide on the next line of action and if a substantial number of the lecturers resume, then the council would fix a date for the resumption of the students.
