THE Governing Council of the Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti (EKSU), has approved today, May 24, for the resumption of academic activities in the institution.
EKSU spokesperson Bode Olofinmuagun disclosed this in a statement released in the late hours of Monday.
According to Olofinmuagun, the decision to resume academic activities amidst the ongoing strike by university workers in the country was taken at the institution’s management meeting.
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While lamenting the impact of the strike, he emphasised the need to resume academic activities for the benefit of both students and parents.
“Management noted further that one academic session (2021/2022) of admission is still outstanding, while the second semester of the 2020/2021 academic session is yet to be concluded.
“Moreover, the admission process for the 2022/2023 academic session will commence soonest.
“Consequently, management decided to reopen the Institution for normal academic activities in the interest of the students, parents, guardians and indeed the society at large as well as the survival of the university.”
Meanwhile, the leadership of workers’ unions in the university has directed members to disregard the notice of resumption by the university’s management.
The unions are Academic Staff Unions of Universities (ASUU), Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU), National Association of Academic Technologists and Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU).
The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the three unions, in a statement by SSANU Chairman Temidayo Azeez Aguda, asked the management to do the needful if it wanted academic progress in institutions rather than coercing the unions.
“All members should please note that the strike continues. Management didn’t declare any strike hence it can’t call off what it didn’t declare.”
Aguda noted that it was the leadership of each union in the university that could order members to resume work amid strike and not the management.
Aguda directed workers to stay at home and await further directives by the unions’ leadership.
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