Aloysius Attah, Onitsha 
Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), members at Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU), Anambra State branch have distanced themselves with the announcement for the resumption   academic activities  the institution. 
ASUU Chairman, COOU,  Prof Okey Aniebo who addressed journalists  after a congress meeting at the Igbariam campus of the university yesterday said apart from solidarity with the national body of ASUU, the Ojukwu university lectures have been teaching in a very hazardous manner owing to state government neglect  to their conditions of service and the  university environment.

He said part of the reason for the strike was because of abysmal pay including denial of earned allowances.  They insisted that with the high cost of fuel, and the muti-campus nature of the institution, their take home pay can no longer take them home.

But in a swift reaction, , the Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof Greg Nwakoby  debunked the claims by lecturers, insisting that the institution will go ahead with resumption and academic activities.

“First is that it is not all our students that are coming back to school. It is only those who have exams and students of exiting classes that are coming back. Secondly, we are not hesitating in resuming schools. This is government directive and we are following it.

“I will not respond to the imaginary view of the ASUU people who are just out to tarnish the image of the university. If they are on strike or not, the university must exist. We can do without them. You should have asked yourself why only about 41 out of 600 lecturers told you they will not resume. ASUU is on strike because of IPPIS, and we are not running IPPIS here, so why are they going on strike?” The Vice Chancellor asked.

Part of the statement by ASUU reads: “The Congress of ASUU-COOU resolved today to sustain the Union’s struggle. ASUU members are, therefore, not part of the planned resumption of academic activities in the University as announced by COOU Management.

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“ASUU members will not engage in any form of teaching, examinations, supervisions and statutory meetings within the pendency of the national industrial action. No amount of threat will deter the Union from prosecuting this selfless and reasonable course of action to get government do the needful in public universities in Nigeria.

“ASUU-COOU is, therefore, using this opportunity to inform students that her members will not resume academic activities while parents are by this being advised to withhold their wards from returning to the University while the industrial action is still on because this will give them an opportunity to engage in nefarious activities.”

The group stated a number of reasons for its action, insisting that contrary to insinuations that they were on a solidarity strike with the national ASUU, it decided to down tools because of lack of basic learning aids in the institution and nonpayment of some allowances to its members.