Benue State University Makurdi, BSU, is yet to join the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, in the ongoing industrial action.
DAILY POST recalls that ASUU, on Monday, shut down public universities in the country following the inability of the Federal Government to implement agreements the two parties had entered into in previous years.
ASUU National President, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, who made the announcement during a press briefing shortly after marathon meetings by the National Executive Council of the union, said the strike would last for four weeks and may rollover if the FG fails to do the needful.
But ‘Daily Post’ observed on Tuesday that academic activities are still ongoing in Benue State University, as lecturers were seen attending to students in classrooms and offices with no sign of industrial action.
Some of the students, who spoke to our correspondent, said they were confused as the university kept mum on whether to join the nationwide strike.
Miss Daniella at the department of Sociology said, “We are still writing tests and other academic activities are still going on normally. Right now, we don’t know whether the school will join the strike or not, but we pray they don’t”.
Another student of the university, John Oche said his department and others have been holding lectures since ASUU commenced the nationwide strike on Monday.
He said, “although some of us were set to vacate the school immediately we heard that a strike has commenced nationwide, but we found out that lectures and other activities are still on.”
When contacted by ‘Daily Post’, the ASUU Chairman of the branch, Dr Kwaehfan Tarmombo said all academic staff of the institution would be meeting on Wednesday (today) to decide on next move.
“We are meeting tomorrow, after the meeting, we will update you on the development”, he said.
Meanwhile, there is a strong indication that the school, in collaboration with the State government, is working towards paying ASUU a required fund to continue the academic session.
