EKSU ASUU refuses to resume as varsity matriculates 4,000 students

The Ekiti State University (EKSU) chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has defied the institution’s order asking its members to resume.

The varsity had earlier announced its decision to pull out of ASUU’s ongoing nationwide strike, which commenced on February 14.

It also declared that full academic activities commenced at the institution on September 22 and directed its staff to resume work.

On Thursday, the varsity matriculated 4,000 fresh students into the institution.

But speaking at its congress, the varsity’s ASUU said it would not heed the management’s resumption directive.

In its resolution jointly signed by Kayode Arogundade, the chairman, O.D. Ogunwale, its secretary, ASUU said the management has failed to address the union’s demands.

It also said the varsity was owing its members about a billion naira in arrears of salaries, gratuities, unremitted deductions to cooperative societies, unremitted tax deductions, and arrears of annual increments.

The varsity’s ASUU said it is still in support of the ongoing strike by the national body of the union.

It also said EKSU has benefited from ASUU’s struggles in the past, adding that without such, the varsity would have been a “glorified secondary school.”

“Going by the above analysis and quality of governance enjoyed at both state and federal levels in Nigeria (with reference to the funding of university education in Nigeria), it is out of place for a university like EKSU, which had benefited immensely and continuously from the national struggles of ASUU to thinker with breaking the national struggle for whatsoever reasons,” it said.

“To this end, ASUU-EKSU Congress distances itself from the (unfortunate and unwarranted) request of the university’s administration and any other adjoining publication to that effect by encouraging all our members to remain resolute in the quest for the survival of university education in Nigeria.

“The ongoing strike is total and comprehensive. The strike coordinating committee is hereby re-energised and empowered to report any act of compromise by any of our members in due course.”