The striking Academic Staff Union of University (ASUU) yesterday lost more sympathy as the management of Ebonyi State University (EBSU), Abakaliki, announced that academic activities would resume in all the campuses of the institution today, November 26.

It also ordered lecturers and students of the institution to return to classes after ASUU rose from its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting over the weekend in Kano without ending the five months strike.

EBSU in a statement signed by the Registrar, Mr. Sam N. Egwu, said: “Having waited patiently for Federal Government and ASUU to resolve the impasse behind the over four months strike embarked upon by the Union to no avail, the management of EBSU has resolved to re-open classes for learning to commence on Tuesday, the 26th day of November, 2013.

“We therefore inform all concerned that teaching and learning will begin fully on Tuesday, 26th, November, 2013. This is to enable us cover what we have lost to the strike.”

The EBSU management became emboldened to announce the reopening following a meeting it convened last week at which 80 per cent of the lecturers in attendance agreed that they should return to work.

EBSU-ASUU Chairman, Prof. Ndubuisi Idenyi, has, however, dissociated the union from the reopening, insisting that the strike would continue until the ASUU national leadership directs otherwise.

EBSU thus joins a growing list of universities that had earlier announced their resumption in defiance of ASUU’s directives.

At the Niger State-owned Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai (IBBUL), some academic staff have already resumed teaching while the Adamawa State University and Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko in Ondo State have also reportedly pulled out of the strike, with Enugu State University (ESUT) at the verge of following suit.

At the same time, the University of Lagos (UNILAG) and Lagos State University (LASU) are reportedly set to conduct degree and matriculation examinations outside their campuses, even as UNILAG, LASU and the University of Jos (UNIJOS) have all scheduled to conduct the post-UTME examinations.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Government yesterday reacted angrily to the fresh conditions put forward by ASUU despite its members voting 60-40 per cent during the Kano NEC meeting to end the strike.

The three conditions are payment of four months salaries that accumulated during the period of the strike; immediate implementation of the N1.2 trillion offered by the government to public universities, starting with the release of N100 billion this year and the balance of N1.1 trillion to be spread over five years from 2014.

Speaking with newsmen, Supervising Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike, condemned the new conditions but assured that he would present them before President Goodluck Jonathan. A meeting expected to be held last night by ASUU leaders and President Jonathan failed to hold due to protocol hitches.

•Photo shows Supervising Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike.

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