From Felix Ikem, Nsukka

Academic activities in the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) was brought to a halt, following the full compliance of the institution’s Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), to the current industrial action ordered by the union’s national body on February 14.

Daily Sun monitored the compliance with the strike at the institution on Thursday and reported that lecture halls were empty with no academic activities taking place anywhere on the campus.

This was even as some students were seen loitering around the campus while others were boarding campus shuttles to the Nsukka town motor park en route to their different
home.

Also, centres and institutes in the university which had fixed academic programs before the announcement of the strike had to shift the venue outside the school environment to avoid clashes with the striking union.

Comrade Christian Opata the chairman of the ASUU UNN chapter said that the one-month warning strike was due to the inability of the government to meet the union demands in spite of several pleas by ASUU to fulfil its promises on the agreement entered with the union.

He said that the ASUU-UNN has formally communicated the university authority over the one-month warning strike, adding that the strike is total and comprehensive in the institution.

“UNN ASUU agreed in a congress to join the nationwide warning strike after the union national body made the initial declaration, and for us here in UNN the strike is total and comprehensive.

“We have written to the university management, Deans of Faculties, Heads of Departments, Director of Centers and Institutes within the campus about the ongoing strike.

“Currently, there is no teaching, no Departmental Boards meeting, no examination, etc, in fact, all academics activities have been suspended,” he said.

The ASUU chairman added further that the union has set up a monitoring team to ensure and maintain total compliance.

In a separate interview with some UNN students in Nsukka, they expressed their frustrations over the incessant strike by ASUU as they alleged that were denied entry into their lecture halls and laboratories.

They, however, appealed to the Federal Government to dialogue with the union and solve the lingering issue once and for all for the interest of the nation’s students and the educational development of the country.

Michael Abuch, President Students Union Government (SUG) in UNN, urged government to find an immediate solution to the constant strike by ASUU as it had become a yearly routine, disrupting the academic calendar.

“We just returned from Christmas break in January and now going back home as a result of one-month warning strike by ASUU on February 14 is frustrating.

“Students in the country are not happy, does it mean government can’t find a solution to end incessant strikes in public universities,” he asked.

Rosemary Mbachukwu, from the Department of Mass Communication, urged government to find a way to end incessant strikes in public universities.

“I am not happy, doesn’t mean government can not find a solution to incessant strike in public universities, now we are not allowed to enter classroom because of the strike.

”I beg government to meet the demands of ASUU for the interest of students before the end of this week so that lecturers will return to class,” she said.

It would be recalled that Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, ASUU National President, had in a press conference last Monday at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), declared a four-week industrial action in public universities in the country to press home the implementation of their demands.