ASUU, Ebonyi Varsity clash over resumption

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Ebonyi State University chapter, and the management of the university are currently at loggerheads over resumption plans.

Recall that the management of the university had uploaded a memo on its Facebook page dated November 9 to announce the institution’s 2020 matriculation slated for Saturday, November 14.

“This is to inform the General Public, Parents and Guardians as well as all candidates who have been offered admission by Ebonyi State University, that the 2019/2020 Matriculation Ceremony of the Institution will now finally hold as follows,” the memo reads.

The memo, which was signed by the registrar of the school, Bibian Nwoku, explained that all students are expected to pay their school fees as required by the university, if they had not done so.

“The candidates are to collect the necessary Matriculation materials from their various Faculty Officers,” the memo reads.

But the ASUU chapter of university said no member of the union will attend the ceremony because the lecturers are still on a national strike .

PREMIUM TIMES reported how the ASUU chair of the institution, Ikechukwu Igwenyi, said lecturers at the Ebonyi State University (EBSU) were still on strike.

Mr Igwenyi also denied the claims making the rounds that academic activities had resumed in the school.

“We are not unaware of the 2019/2020 matriculation ceremony of the school reportedly scheduled to hold on Saturday,” he said.

Proscription of ASUU

On October 23, Nairamatrics reported how the Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, announced the proscription of ASUU, the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) and other labour unions of the university.

The governor also said the only union allowed to exist in the university is the Students’ Union Government.

The governor explained that the proscription of the unions in the school was to ensure that their activities do not have any negative impact on the resumption of activities in the university.

ASUU has rejected the proscription and the lecturers are still on strike.

ASUU Strike

ASUU embarked on a nationwide strike on March 23 to demand their revitalisation allowance, Earned Academic Allowances (EAA), renegotiation of the 2009 agreement, visitation panels, among others.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how ASUU asked the federal government to jettison the IPPIS as a condition to call off the seven-month-old strike in the country.

As of the time of filing this report, the national strike was still on.