ASUU dismisses resumption rumour

Striking university teachers on Tuesday
dismissed as a "rumour" the report
that they would soon return to the
classrooms.
They insisted that there was no end to
the strike until the Federal
Government honoured fully an
agreement it signed with their
umbrella body, the Academic Staff
Union of Universities in 2009.
Members of ASUU in Nsukka, Calabar
and Benin zones restated their resolve
to continue with the industrial action
at different briefings on Tuesday.
The Calabar zone of the union,
comprising the University of Calabar;
the University of Uyo; the Michael
Okpara University of Agriculture, and
the Cross River University of
Technology, particularly described as
unfortunate the report that lecturers
would return to the classrooms on
Thursday.
The Coordinator of the union in Nsukka
zone, Dr. Chidi Osuagwu, said the
resumption rumour was an
embarrassment to ASUU members.
He appealed to the students, parents
and guardians to bear with the union,
saying they were pursuing a worthy
cause to ensure better university
system in the country.
He recalled that the union embarked
on the strike because of the failure of
the Federal Government to implement
the 2009 agreement.
The zone draws its members from the
Abia State University, Uturu; the
Anambra State University, Uli; the
Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki; the
Enugu State University of Science and
Technology, Enugu; Nnamdi Azikiwe
University, Awka, and the University of
Nigeria, Nsukka.
Members of the union in Benin, in a
statement by Dr. Sunny Ighalo
(University of Benin), Dr. Emmanuel
Mordi (Delta State University); Prof.
Fred Esumeh (Ambrose Alli University);
Dr. Beke Sese (Niger Delta University);
and the zonal coordinator, Dr. Sunny
Ighalo, also described the Thursday
resumption date as untrue.
The statement read, "There is no iota
of truth in the report as the
government has yet to make any
concrete effort to address the issues at
stake. The union remains focused and
is resolved to carrying on with the
struggle to revitalise and reposition
university education in Nigeria. Nothing
short of full implementation of the
agreement and respect for the
Memorandum of Understanding of
2009 will be acceptable to the union."