Contrary to rumours making round in the Imo State University environment that the ten day old strike of lecturers has been called off, the Academic Staff Union of Universities in the campus have denied calling off the strike and has threatened to deal with any of its members that defies the union directives.
Sources close to the university disclosed that confronted by the envisaged Accreditation team visit to the university in the first week of June, the Vice Chancellor Prof. A.U. Awuzie had called for a meeting of senate yesterday, Monday May 18, which the ASUU ordered its members not to attend. Some members of the union were alleged to have attended the meeting in view of the impending Accreditation visit and while in attendance ASUU officials were busy collecting their names.
However the Vice Chancellor was alleged to have told those in attendance that he has been able to source for funds to pay for the remaining half of their salary arrears with a promise that they would get their bank alert before 2PM on Monday May 18, 2015 which however did not materialize. It was also alleged that based on the foregoing Prof. Awuzie had directed the registrar to issue directives to departmental heads and Deans of faculties that the strike had been called off.
When contacted an executive member of the union denied the call off story stating that neither the Vice Chancellor nor the Registrar had the power to call of the strike by the lecturers adding that it is only the union at a congress that has the power to call off such strike. He disclosed that there has been no circular for the congress of the union to convene and since they have not received their full salary payment the strike would continue.
Meanwhile the IMSU Academic Staff Union of university have expressed dismay over the attitude of their Vice Chancellor towards the union to which he was a onetime National President and which ladder he got to the present position by acting contrary to the rules which he made which he pretends to have forgotten or that he was out to destroy the union. It was alleged that while the strike was going on, the Vice Chancellor used the opportunity to pass circulars banning the office of Course Representatives, student union Departmental Presidents, and Faculty leaders in the university.
Our source disclosed that Prof. Awuzie about two years ago disbanded the Student Union Government and the situation had remained so till now a situation which does not augur well for administration of the university.
Some of the lecturers who spoke to our roving correspondent said that they would not resume work until their salaries are paid in full and the union officially informs them to resume duties. It would be recalled that members of the ASUU Imo State University Chapter embarked on an indefinite strike on May 8, to back up their demand for the payment of three months salary arrears owed them by the authorities and that by the middle of last week part of the salary was reported to have been paid while the workers insist on “no full payment no work”.
Meanwhile the Vice Chancellor is alleged to be running helter skelter to ensure that work resumes before the governor returns from his overseas trip.
Courtesy: Community Watchdog Newspaper
