OAU Management Moves To Stop Strike, Summons All Academic Staff

Following the declaration of indefinite strike by members of Academic Staff Union of university,ASUU, Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU chapter, the management of the institution has summoned the all the academic staff of ASUU to a meeting billed to hold today, Tuesday to resolve the lingering issues.

Recall that, ASUU at an emergency meeting yesterday, Monday announced the commencement of a “total and comprehensive strike” due to the non-disbursement of its members’ share of the earned academic allowance (EAA).

The union accused the university’s vice-chancellor, Eyitope Ogunbodede, a professor, of “unnecessarily delaying the payment;” an allegation he has vehemently denied.

Reacting to the development, the management heaped the the disagreement between ASUU leadership and that of its factional group- Congress of Nigerian Universities’ Academics (CONUA), over the modalities to be deployed in sharing the fund for the members.

The management in an internal memorandum issued on Monday signed by an acting director in the office of the vice-chancellor, Isaac Adejuwon, noted that the meeting between the vice-chancellor and all the academic staff of the institution would hold at the Oduduwa Hall on the campus by 10 a.m. on Tuesday.

The memorandum, which states the meeting’s agenda as the disbursement of earned academic allowance, further read in part: “I write, at the instance of the Vice-Chancellor, to invite all academic members of staff of the university to an emergency meeting with the university management holding on Tuesday, 1st February, 2022.”

ASUU had ,on Saturday, in a memorandum , titled “Update on disbursement of EAA” told its members that the union has received a nod from the national body to embark on the strike.

Parts of the statement read: “The Comrade National President and Zonal Coordinator had been communicated. The President has given the permission to the branch to hold a congress to conclude and begin the action we asked for. The President will be awaiting the resolution of the congress as soon as we rise from the meeting. Comrades, notice of congress shall be out very soon. Let us remain resolute and strong.