By UCHE BIBILARI

The Academic Staff Union of University (ASUU), University of Abuja chapter, says the union will not call off its strike until all issues are addressed.

The branch Chairman, Dr Sylvanus Ugoh, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja that the members were not working.

“Those against the strike may possibly be beneficiaries of what the union is fighting against.

“Any member found breaking the strike will be subjected to disciplinary procedure.”

According to him, 90 to 95 per cent of lecturers are on strike.

NAN reports that the lecturers had, on May 2, declared an indefinite strike to draw attention of the school management to pressing issues.

One of the issues was the University’s refusal to conduct elections for the office of the Deans of Faculties and Provost, College of Health Sciences.

The Union also accused the University of carrying out promotion of some members of staff without following due process.

Other reasons for the strike, according to the union, include advertorial for the vacancy of the post of Vice Chancellor without following due process, among others.

The chairman said that ASUU had withdrawn the services of their members in the university.

“ASUU does not lock university, what ASUU did was to withdraw services members render to the university.

“What we are saying is that our members are not working,” he said.

On the issue of some lecturers indicating interest to lecture, he said that even in a national strike, some would still want to go against the action.

However, Dr Habib Yakoob, the Acting Director, Information and University Relations, said the management was not aware of any strike.

Yakoob said that many lecturers had indicated interest to teach, adding that students were also prepared to receive lectures.

A NAN correspondent, who was at the university’s permanent site, reports that students were seen on campus to officially resume second semester academic activities.

NAN also reports that as at the time of the visit, no academic activities was seen going on in the lecture halls.

A student, Adenike Owolabi, said students were just resuming for their second semester and hopefully lectures would commence soon.

Owolabi, who said the students were not ready for any strike, added that they had wasted so much time as a result of incessant strikes.

She, therefore, called on the school management to resolve whatever the problem was, to avoid a situation where the school may be shut down. (NAN)

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