Akwa Ibom Varsity ASUU Suspends Strike

Following truce brokered by the leadership of the state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), led by Comrade Sunny James, and other stakeholders, aggrieved lecturers under the aegis of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Akwa Ibom State University (AKSU) chapter, have resolved not to go on with the planned strike action.

The resolution, LEADERSHIP gathered on Thursday, was the major fallout of the meeting held by the ASUU leadership, led by the chairman, Dr. Inyang Udosen, and other stakeholders with Governor Umo Eno, at Government House, Uyo, the state capital.

It was gathered that the governor, described as labour-friendly, assured the teachers of his administration’s commitment to investing in quality education at all levels, promising to address the core grievances areas of welfare, educational infrastructure and other entertainment due to them.

The chief press secretary to the Governor, Mr. Ekerete Udoh, told journalists that the meeting ended successfully with the aggrieved lecturers signing agreement to jettison the strike action and return to classes following assurances from the governor.

He said: “Living up to his reputation as a labour-friendly leader, the governor, Pastor Umo Eno, held a meeting with a cross- section of labour leaders drawn from the Akwa Ibom State University, at Government House, Uyo.

“The meeting was held to discuss and resolve some issues that had led the Academic Staff  Union of  Akwa Ibom State University branch, to threaten a strike action.

“The governor agreed to address a number of the contentious issues such as the payments of 13th month salary bonus, the three months palliative, the construction of some strategic roads within the main campus at Ikot Akpaden, among other issues.

“The governor charged the Labour leaders to work closely with government in delivering democratic dividends to the people of Akwa Ibom State.

“He described the university as the pride of the state and tasked the University’s management to utilize the internally generated revenue to execute some tasks, maintaining that, government will always pay the monthly subvention as and when due.”