Striking lecturers at the Ahmadu Bello University,
Zaria on Wednesday received relief materials,
including food and money to enable them to cushion
the effect of the ongoing industrial action.
The Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of
Universities of the institution, Dr. Mohammed Kabir-
Aliyu, who confirmed this to one of our
correspondents, said the offer would help the
beneficiaries to survive the hardship occasioned by
the non-payment of their salaries.
According to him, lecturers in the university have not
earned their salaries in the last four months.
Among items distributed to the lecturers were rice,
semovita, vegetable oil and cash ranging from N20,
000 to N50, 000.
Kabir-Aliyu said they were ready to call the Federal
Government’s bluff concerning the sack threat.
University teachers nationwide embarked on strike
on July 1 to force the Federal Government to honour
an agreement it had with them since 2009.
The Supervisory Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike,
had last Thursday threatened the striking lecturers to
return to work on or before December 4 or face
dismissal.
However, the resumption deadline was on Tuesday
extended to December 9 to enable the striking
teachers to honour Prof. Festus Iyayi, who died on his
way to attend ASUU NEC meeting in Kano.
As of Wednesday, there were no signs that the
striking lecturers would comply with the government
directives to return to the classroom on Monday.
Also, the university authorities had yet to issue a
circular directing students to return for lectures.
Meanwhile, the National Parent-Teacher-Association
of Nigeria has asked the striking teachers to see the
extension of the resumption deadline as a sign of
goodwill from the Federal Government.
In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on
Wednesday, the NAPTAN North Central Coordinator,
Alhaji Danladi Aliyu, said the extension showed that
the government was committed to ending the strike.
Aliyu said, “I am pleading with both parties not to
see this issue as a war that must be won or lost as
both are working in the interest of moving the nation
forward.
“ASUU should use this deadline extension to resume
duties, while we also urge the Federal Government
not to come down hard on them.”
In a related development, Nnamdi Azikiwe University
branch of ASUU has ordered its members that signed
the attendance register to delete their names from
the book.
Also, the management of Obafemi Awolowo
University, Ile-Ife has directed its students to resume
on Sunday.
A statement by the Public Relations Officer of OAU,
Mr. Biodun Olarewaju on Wednesday said, “The
authorities of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife,
have announced Sunday, December 8, as the
resumption date for the 2012/ 2013 rain semester.
“Accordingly, students of the university are expected
to come into residence on the above date as lectures
will commence immediately.”
Copyright PUNCH.

Ok

na GOD d sponsor the strike

This got me laughing. So ASUU don turn Somalia. Their sponsor don give dem money.