UI lecturers defy FG’s order

Members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, University of Ibadan, on Monday refused to resume work in the institution despite the Federal Government order that they should do so on Monday or risk being fired.
Our correspondent, who visited the university on Monday, observed that the lecturers were around but not ready to go into the classrooms or their offices, neither were they also ready to sign any attendance register.
UI Governing Council issued a statement on Friday, in its bulletin, announcing January 4 as resumption date but the FG’s deadline for lecturers to return to work is Monday, December 9.
The institution’s chapter of ASUU sent a message to its members, urging them to be calm, resolute in their demand and not to sign any attendance register.
It said, “Dear members, stay calm, remain resolute. There is nothing wrong in asking government to do what it says it will do immediately. ASUU is not making any new demands. Government is only repeating a ‘one act play’ scripted by the IBB dictatorship in early 90s. It didn’t work then, and it won’t work now.  All branches are intact. We cannot be intimidated! Do not sign any register. United we bargain, divided we beg! Aluta Continua!”
The absence of academic or official activities in all the faculties expressed the lecturers’ resolve to shun the FG directive.
The National Treasurer of ASUU, Dr. Ademola Aremu, said the members would have wasted all the months already used in pressing home their demands if they caved in and returned to work under threat.
He said, “How can you call off a strike when there is nothing to show for it? The government is not qualified to call off the strike. Our union is awaiting the government to state all it has done in black and white so that we can be guarded by it and Nigerians can see that we have not gone on strike in vain.”

Source PUNCH