Uncertainty as students return from strike

Despite the recent release of the amended 2015/2016 academic calendar in Kogi State University, the students still face uncertainty as to whether lectures would commence immediately.
This is because the Chairman of the university’s Academic Staff Union (ASUU) Dr. Abdullahi Musa has continued to maintain that the stance of members is that they are ready to resume classes the minute they receive bank alerts informing them that the commitment they got from government was fulfilled.
He pointed out that out of the over N1 billion the staff are being owed from the Earned Academic Allowances, government has made a commitment to pay by installment beginning with N100 million, which they have agreed, but that they were waiting for the amount to be credited to ASUU KSU account before suspending the strike.
“It is true we had a meeting with government and they have assured us that they would pay the money into our account, which as I speak to you now, they have not paid; immediately it is paid, we will resume, it is that simple.”
On the release of the amended academic calendar, the chairman said: “Well, the release of amended calendar is the responsibility of management and if they anticipate the suspension of strike, it is necessary for them to work ahead and preparing in earnest, but as we speak, we have not suspended the strike because we have not seen the money paid into the account.”
On their part, the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) in the university has said that their own strike action continues as the management has not attended to their agitation, neither has government.
The Chairman, Comrade Yusuf Audu, told our reporter that the union is resolute in its demand this time around, saying that on no account would members resume work without getting heard by the authorities concerned.
According to him, they don’t care about what happens between ASUU and management/government, saying that they are a separate body with separate demands which management has failed to attend to.
Meanwhile, a member of management in the institution, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told our reporter that the leadership of the institution has done a lot to ensure that government gives the associations listening ears.
According to the fellow, the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof Hassan Isah is equally disturbed by the industrial action and is doing everything within his power to see that that the situation is resolved amicably.
In his words: “The matter is out of his hands, but he is doing everything within his power to ensure that the strike action is settled amicably so that normal academic activities can resume in the institution.”
The source assured students and parents that the Vice Chancellor is working on the issue and assured that the situation would soon be put to an end.