Strike: Ondo varsity orders students to resume April 26

The management of the Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology (OAUSTECH) in Okitipupa, Ondo state, has directed its students to resume for the 2019/2020 second semester lectures on April 26.

According to NAN, Ganiyu Saliu, the institution’s registrar, broke the news in a circular issued on Friday.

The directive comes about three weeks after the varsity’s teaching and non-teaching staff declared strike over the non-payment of salaries by the state government.

Saliu said the directive was the consensus reached between the management and staff unions of the institution after several meetings.

The registrar enjoined the students to cooperate with the institution’s authorities by complying with all COVID-19 protocols as they would be strictly enforced.

“Following the consensus reached between management and the staff unions, at various meetings, the Senate has approved that the second semester 2019/2020 lectures should commence on April 26,” he said.

“All prescribed COVID-19 prevention protocols will continue to be enforced on all our campuses and students are to cooperate with the university authorities in this regard.

“Students who are yet to fully pay their prescribed school fees are hereby enjoined to do so without further delay as a revised calendar will be released as soon as Senate approves same.”

On his part, Dipo Akomolafe, the institution’s chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), said the union had reached an agreement with the varsity’s management to end its strike.

“We have resolved with the management to call off our strike, so we will be resuming on April 26, for the second-semester lectures to begin,” he said.

On the contrary, the non-teaching staff members of the institution comprising the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU), Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), and National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) said they are yet to call off their own strike.

Temidayo Temola, the chairman, Joint Action Congress (JAC) of the non-teaching staff members, said its members would deliberate on offers made by the institution’s management next week.

“The management has made some offers in respect to our demands; this is to be deliberated upon next week by the Congress; therefore, the strike is still on,” Temola said.