The management of obafemi awolowo university, Ile-Ife on Tuesday has reacted to the strike of academic staff union of universities, ASUU in the institution.
ASUU OAU commences Indefinite strike on Monday over failure of the management to pay their earned academic allowance, DAILY GIST had reported.
However in a statement issued by the University spokesperson, Mr Abiodun Olarewaju, a copy of which he sent to DAILY GIST on Tuesday, The management said lectures will still continue despite the strike.
The statement reads in full;
STRIKE ACTION: LECTURES STILL ONGOING IN OAU, NO CAUSE FOR ALARM.
The attention of the Management of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, has been drawn to a circular issued by a section of the academic staff, ASUU, calling on its members to go on strike, beginning from Monday, 31st January, 2022.
The University Management is using this medium to inform the general public, particularly our students, their parents or guardians, that overwhelming majority of the academic staff in OAU are NOT ON STRIKE neither do they have the intention of going on any strike action. In actual fact, lectures are on going and students are being attended to by lecturers in their respective departments.
A release by the Public Relations Officer of the University, Abiodun Olarewaju, stated that in view of this, parents, guardians, alumni and friends of the University are assured of uninterrupted academic calendar, as our students are advised to go about their normal academic activities because there is no cause for concern or alarm.
In addition, the University Management wishes to appreciate majority of our lecturers who have the interest of the students at heart, and have been teaching and attending to students.”the statement ended
The management in an exclusive chat with DAILY GIST had said it’s not holding on to the earned academic allowance of the lecturers in any way
According to OAU spokesperson, Mr Abiodun Olarewaju, the university is ready to give every eligible member their entitlement.
On why the management has not paid earned academic allowance to ASUU lecturers, Mr Abiodun noted that the University management has paid the non teaching unions but because there is a disagreement between the members of the academic staff which the University Management wants them to resolve and come up with a common position.
He said: “And when that is done, the University management will release the money and give every eligible academic staff their due.
Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and Congress of Universities Academic (CONUA) are the two academic unions that operate as parallel bodies with almost similar modus operandi, even though the latter is a breakaway faction of the former.
How CONUA came into existence?
In February 2018, some aggrieved lecturers of ASUU-OAU complained of marginalisation and of being unfairly treatment, a development that resulted in a splinter group that birthed CONUA the following month.
At its inauguration, the National Coordinator of CONUA, Dr. Niyi Sunmonu, said the sole purpose of CONUA was to redirect unionism, restore peace and stability in universities in Nigeria and come up with new approaches of engagement in addressing members’ welfare.
CONUA which started in OAU over three years ago has tentacles in Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma; Federal University, Oye Ekiti; Federal University, Lokoja; and Kwara State University, Malete.
