The Nation Newspaper

Tag: ASUU

  • We can’t meet ASUU’s demand now – FG

    The Federal Government, on Monday, said it doesn’t have the financial power to meet the demands of the Academy Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

    The government accused the administration of late President Umaru Yar’Adua, of making bogus promises to the union during a period of oil boom.

    ASUU has embarked on an indefinite strike to press home the implement of 2009 agreement with the government and other demands.

    Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, who addressed reporters at the headquarters of the Federal Ministry of Education, explained that the crash in the prices of oil globally had affected the economic fortunes of Nigeria.

    This, he explained, had dire consequences on all sectors of the economy, including education.

    The minister said: “I must say that this is difficult to reconcile with all the efforts and positive achievements we have been able to make.

    “Let me begin by saying that the Issues necessitating this strike dates back to 2009 when the then government of late President Umaru Musa Yar Adua signed an agreement with the ASUU on funding of the federal universities in the country.

    “The agreement provided for funding of Universities to the tune of N1.3trillion over a period of six years. It is instructive to know that Nigeria was experiencing the oil boom at that time. It was therefore expected that government will be able to meet the terms of agreement.

    “However, international oil prices crashed in subsequent years thereby throwing the country into economic hardship, at the inception of this administration the country’s economic fortunes worsened, nose diving into recession, with dire consequences on all sectors of the economy, including education.

    “We exited recession not too long ago, and we are just beginning to recover from the consequences of low oil prices, which are happily beginning to pick up.

    “If this trend continues, definitely, the education sector will also improve, in other words, the well-being of the education sector and any other sector of the country’s economy is a function of the international oil prices, this is the stack reality for now which all of us must acknowledge and accept.”

    The minister appealed to both parents, ASUU and students to exercise restraint in their response to the education sector.

    He said the union should be mindful of the fact that other sector of the economy were competing with similar financial needs.

    Adamu said: “Against this background I want to appeal to all Nigerian parents, students and in particular women and men of ASUU to continue to exercise restraint in terms of their response to the plight of the education sector.

    “We must also be mindful that there are other sectors with similar competing needs, if our universities produce graduates, such graduates must work in other sectors of the economy which must also be supported by government.”

    ASUU on Monday embarked on an indefinite strike after its National Executive Council NEC meeting held in Akure, Ondo state, on Sunday.

    ASUU’s current strike is hinged on delays in implementing the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) the government agreed to in 2017, including to compel government to conclude the renegotiation of other agreements also collectively reached in 2009.

    National President of ASUU, Prof Biodun Ogunyemi while announcing the commencement of the strike had re-echoed the insincerity of government in meeting their demands.

    Ogunyemi had said: “Having waited patiently for action and meaningful negotiation with reasonable men using the principle of collective bargaining that ASUU at its NEC meeting of 3rd and 4th November 2018 at the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) resolved to resume the nationwide strike action it suspended in September 2017 with immediate effect.

    “This strike will be total comprehensive and indefinite. Our members shall withdraw their services until government fully implement all outstanding issues as contained in the MOA of 2017, and concludes the renegotiation of the 2009 agreements.

    “We have today been subjected to 20 years of continued re-colonization under alleged democracy in which all that the ruling circle have been regrouping among themselves in their various faction they called political parties.”

    The ASUU President had also buttressed the necessity of the strike when he said the release of a paltry N20 billion revitalisation fund was despite the fact that the same government released N1.3 trillion to a distressed bank recently.

    Ogunyemi has also argued that the government was not interested in public universities as the children of the top politicians and rich men in the society patronised private universities at the detriment of public institutions.

  • ASUU strike effective in Lagos

    The Chairman, Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Lagos (UNILAG) chapter, Dr Dele Ashiru, has confirmed that lecturers of the university would comply with the national strike announced by the union on Monday.

    The ASUU chapter at the Lagos State University (LASU) is also on strike.

    Dr Ashiru said the UNILAG chapter had joined the strike even though as at the time The Nation spoke with him, the university was on holiday and he was yet to brief members about the ASUU NEC meeting he attended where the decision to start the strike was taken in Akure.

    Speaking at the UNILAG ASUU Secretariat on Monday, Ashiru said: “The University of Lagos chapter has joined the strike that we suspended in November 2017. The strike is comprehensive, total and indefinite. I have just returned from the NEC in Akure; I have scheduled an ExCO meeting for 1pm where we will deliberate on the issues raised at the NEC. After that we will call a congress on Tuesday.”

    Ashiru justified the strike, saying the Union had given the Federal Government enough time to fulfil the 2009 Agreement between both parties, which was due for re-negotiation in 2013. He said out of the N1.3 trillion the government ought to have provided for the revitalization of infrastructure in public universities, only N200 billion had been paid. He said the money was meant to improve facilities in public universities, lamenting that the government did not prioritise education. He also said the government was owing ASUU members earned academic allowances.

    Read Also: NYSC warns corps members against joining proposed strike by NLC

    “Our union entered an agreement since 2009. Only specific part of the agreement was implemented. In 2012, there was a Memorandum of Agreement; in 2013, there was another Memorandum of Agreement. The government promised to inject N1.3 trillion into the university system. It has not been done. The Jonathan government paid N200 billion. Only recently, when the govenremnt realized we were mobilizing for strike that they lied that they released N20 billion to ASUU, which was not true. From 2013 to date, our members have not been paid earned academic allowances,” Ashiru said.

    The Lagos State University (LASU) chapter of the union also announced it had joined the nationwide strike.

    “ASUU-LASU is fully on strike. Once the national ASUU declares a strike, we have no option but to join. It is not a matter of choice,” said Dr Tony Dansu, Secretary, ASUU-LASU, on phone.

  • Strike: LASU to comply with ASUU directives within 48 hours

    The Academic Staff Union of Universities ( ASUU ), Lagos State University (LASU) Chapter says it will comply fully to the nationwide lecturers strike declared by its national body within 48 hours.

    Dr Adeolu Oyekan, Assistant Secretary, ASUU-LASU made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Monday.

    Oyekan said that while there was already a substantial compliance to the strike by its members, total compliance would begin after the chapter holds its congress within the next 24 to 48 hours.

    He said skeletal academic work was still ongoing in the campus adding that members were still waiting for congress decision before embarking on the strike.

    According to him, the union executives have used other available platform to reach out to its members on the decision of the National Executive Council (NEC).

    “Already, there is a substantial compliance from our members, but for the sake of formality, we will convey congress within the next 24 to 48 hours to brief our members.

    “As you are aware that NEC is the supreme organ of our union and the directives said the strike commence immediately and in total.

    “Our members from the feelers we got so far had complied but we expect total compliance from tomorrow’’.

    Oyekan noted that LASU was known to always comply substantively with the directive of its national leadership and do not envisage any breech from its members.

    “Any of our members you may see around now, are probably those who are yet to get information of the strike.

    “For those who have received the information, they have started staying off the classroom even before we call the congress’’.

    Oyekan said that the union’s strike monitoring committee would begin duty from Wednesday to ensure that members comply fully as directed.

    He said that the monitoring committee would also pick members who flout the national body directive for appropriate sanction.

    Mr Samuel Olalere, President, LASU Students Union (LASUSU), also confirmed to NAN that the strike had not commenced fully in the campus because ASUU-LASU chapter was yet to hold its congress.

    Olalere said that academic activities were still ongoing in the institution campus.

    He however, urged government to meet the demands of the union as soon as possible for the benefit of the education system and to prevent the strike from lingering.

    Prof. Olanrewaju Fagbohun, Vice -Chancellor, LASU in an interview with NAN urged ASUU and the Federal Government not to allow a breakdown of the education system.

    Fagbohun said the union and the government must also return to the negotiation table and continue to actively discuss the issues constructively towards resolving them.

    He said that what was happening between the union and the government was not unusual as the demands were not out of place.

    “The unions are seeking for an improvement in the standard and quality of education.

    “When you also look at the government, it not as if it is against the demands of ASUU but it has a challenge of scarce resources”.

    The professor urged government to show sincerity of purpose in terms of keeping agreement with the union to prevent any suspicion.

    He also appealed to ASUU to eschew anger and consider the current administration because the problem at hand emanated from previous governments.

    “The issue at hand did not happen overnight. The problems have been there for so many years.

    “So ASUU must show some understanding in the way they articulate and insist on some of these issues.

    “The problem requires the understanding of all the party, government must continuously show sincerity of purposes in the negotiation.

    “Rather than allow a breakdown of the system, we should consider an incremental gain.

    “Our young adults and educational institutions will suffer once there is a breakdown of the system. We should therefore not allow us eventually loose what we are trying to protect”.

    A check by NAN correspondent at LASU Ojo campus lecturer hall revealed that skeletal academic activities were still ongoing and normal.

    NAN also reports that ASUU had directed its members would begin an indefinite strike on Monday, Nov. 5 over the non-implementation of the Memorandum of Action (MOA) signed with the Federal Government.

    Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, ASUU National President said the strike would cover both the Federal and State owned universities.

    Ogunyemi said all entreaties made to the Federal Government to honour the agreement with the union fell on deaf ears and they have no other option than to begin an indefinite strike action.

    “ Having waited patiently for action and meaningful negotiation with reasonable men using the principle of collective bargaining.

    “ASUU at its NEC meeting of Nov. 3 and 4, 2018, at the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), resolved to resume the nationwide strike action it suspended in September 2017 with immediate effect.

  • ASUU begins indefinite nationwide strike

    The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Sunday declared an indefinite and total nationwide strike to protest the poor funding of Nigerian universities.

    The union accused the government of not implementing the Memorandum of Action signed with it.

    Briefing newsmen after its National Executive Council meeting, National President of the ASUU, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi said all appeal made to the Federal Government to honour the agreement with the union was ignored.

    Details later…

  • ASUU kicks against ‘illegal’ recruitment at FUOYE

    VC: IT IS NOT TRUE

     

    The Academic Staff Union of Universities ( ASUU ), Akure Zone, has called for the investigation of alleged impunity by the management of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE).

    The union accused the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Kayode Soremekun, of carrying out illegal recruitment and non-remittance of pension deductions to the staff of the university.

    The umbrella body of university teachers berated Soremekun for giving room to admission of students the facilities in the university cannot
    cope with.

    Addressing a briefing in Ado-Ekiti on Monday, Chairman, ASUU, Akure Zone, Prof. Olufayo, Olu-Olu accused Soremekun of violating the
    university’s laws on recruitment, appointment and promotion of staff.

    But Soremekun who denied all the allegations attributed the accusations by ASUU to what he described as “politics in the academia.”

    The briefing was attended by the ASUU branch chairmen in the zone including Federal University of Akure (FUTA), Ekiti State University
    (EKSU), Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile Ife and FUOYE.

    Olu-Olu alleged that FUOYE authorities under Soremekun’s leadership have been recruiting workers and appointing academic staff without advertisement and without assessment by faculties and departments.

    The ASUU zonal chair revealed that the authorities of FOUYE recently approved the appointment of a “Professor without PhD.”

    Olu-Olu also condemned keeping some principals officers of the university in acting capacity for more than six months which he said violates the Universities Miscellaneous Amendment Act.

    Addressing a press conference on Wednesday at his office in Oye-Ekiti, where he dismissed all the allegations, Soremekun said all recruitment, appointments and promotions undergo due process and there was no illegal recruitment in the institution.

    Soremekun noted that it is not all positions that must be advertised before being filled adding that the university recently received Certificate of Compliance from the Federal Character Commission for adhering to quit principle and following due process.

    Speaking on alleged non-remittance of staff pension deductions, Soremekun said deductions are not carried out by the University authorities.

    According to him, they are deducted from source at office of Accountant General and remitted to the Pension Commission (PENCOM), for onward delivery to staff members respective Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs).

    Shedding light on the appointment of a “Professor without PhD,” Soremekun said that particular law lecturer was given the professorial rank on the basis of his pedigree, erudition and requisite knowledge in the field.

    Soremekun said: “In law, somebody can become a professor without holding a PhD, most of the older professors in law don’t have PhD, PhD is an instrument of intimidation.”

    On the appointment of principal officers, Soremekun said the power to appoint them rests on the Governing Council and not in the Vice Chancellor.

  • ASUU accuses Babalakin of sabotaging talks with Fed Govt

    THE Kano Zone of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU)  yesterday accused the Federal Government Renegotiating Team Chairman, Dr. Wale Babalakin, of masterminding the collapse of the 2017-2018 renegotiation between ASUU and the Federal Government.

    During a news conference at Bayero University Kano (BUK) ASUU secretariat, its zonal coordinator, Mahmud Muhammad Lawan, alleged that Babalakin disregarded the cardinal principles of collective bargaining between ASUU and Federal Government.

    He said: “You may recall that renegotiation between our union and the Federal Government team commenced in March, 2017 with a promise by the Minister of Education that the exercise is expected to be completed within six weeks.

    “Sadly, after more than 16 months of fruitless negotiation, our union  had to pull out due to the unwarranted arrogance of the Federal Government Renegotiation Team, in the person of Dr. Wale Babalakin (SAN).

    “The chairman has deliberately disagreed the cardinal principles of collective bargaining. Delayed the process, relegated the other members of the FG team to the background and arrogated to himself the power of decision-making in matters that should be collectively debated and agreed upon by the parties to the renegotiation.”

    He lamented that, “for over 16 months of negotiation, discussions have focused on funding with Babalakin insistence on the introduction of tuition regime and Education Bank as a must for public universities in Nigeria”.

    Lawan, however, described tuition regime and Education Bank system as unacceptable.

     

     

  • ASUU accuses Babalakin of sabotaging talks with FG

    The Kano Zone of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Wednesday accused the chairman of the Federal Government Renegotiating Team, Dr. Wale Babalakin of masterminding the collapse of the 2017-2018 renegotiation between ASUU and the Federal Government.
     
    During a Press Conference at Bayero University Kano (BUK) ASUU secretariat, ASUU Zonal Coordinator, Mahmud Muhammad Lawan alleged that Dr.  Babalakin disregarded the cardinal principles of collective bargaining between ASUU and Federal Government.
     
    He stated that, “you may recall that renegotiation between our Union and the Federal Government team commenced in March, 2017 with a promise by the Minister of Education that the exercise is expected to be completed within six weeks.
     
    “Sadly, after more than sixteen months of fruitless negotiation, our union  had to pull out due to the unwarranted arrogance of the chairman of the Federal Government Renegotiation Team, in the person of Dr. Wale Babalakin (SAN).
     
    “The chairman has deliberately disagreed the cardinal principles of collective bargaining. Delayed the process, relegated the other members of the FG team to the background and arrogated to himself the power of decision making in matters that should be collectively debated and agreed upon by the parties to the renegotiation.”
     
    He further lamented that, “for over sixteen months of negotiation, discussions have focused on funding with Babalakin insistence on the introduction of tuition regime and education Bank as a must for public Universities in Nigeria.”
     
    Lawan, however, described tuition regime and education Bank system as totally unacceptable, pointing out that, “according to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, education is a right and a public good, therefore, Nigerian state has the responsibility to provide qualitative and sound education to its citizenry.”
    Alaafin
    Dr. Wale Babalakin
    The ASUU Zonal Coordinator accused Balalakin of substituting his views, “for those of the Renegotiating Committee, dismissed opposing proposals, and ignored substantive input by a joint Committee of both sides.
     
    “ASUU as a Union of intellectuals totally rejects the castration of the truncated renegotiation single-handedly by Dr. Wale Babalakin. The action of the chairman has led to palpable fear, anxiety and apprehension in the Nigerian Universities.”
     
    He said ASUU aligned itself with the clamour for new minimum wage for Nigerian workers, noting that, “the struggle for enhanced minimum wage has been on for several years. In fact, it is almost seven years since the last increase in 2011.
     
    “ASUU in solidarity with the umbrella body of the Nigerian workers will fully participate in every action taken to fight for enhanced wage and improved working conditions for workers because wealth is created by the worker.”

  • ASUU: Fed Govt planning N350,000 fee in varsities

    The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) yesterday accused the Federal Government of planning to force students in public universities to pay N350,000 tuition fees per session.

    The union’s Ibadan Zonal Coordinator, Dr. Ade Adejumo, stated this when he addressed reporters at the Oyo State Correspondents’ Chapel of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Ibadan, the state capital.

    Adejumo was accompanied by the union’s chairmen at the University of Ibadan (UI), Dr. Deji Omole; Osun State University, Dr. Femi Abanikanda and Investment Secretary of ASUU at UI, Prof Ayo Akinwole.

    The zonal coordinator said the objection of the union to the proposed tuition fee icrease led to the collapse of 2017/2018 Renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU Agreement.

    He said: “The union is again constrained to draw the attention of Nigerian public to an impending labour crisis in the Nigerian universities as a result of the insensitivity and non-challance of the Federal Government to issues critical to the survival of the educational system.”

    Giving a background to the crisis, Adejumo recalled that when the 2009 agreement was overdue for renegotiation, the Federal Government set up a team, led by Dr. Wale Babalakin, to renegotiate with the union.

    He said: “It is no longer news that the renegotiation, which the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, promised was going to last for only six weeks, has broken down.

    “The reason for this very unfortunate development will appal most Nigerians. First, the leader of government team, who was supposed to be an arbiter between the parties, assumed an arrogant attitude that sought to foist a predetermined mind-set of government on the union.

    “The union was confronted with a situation where government is bent on imposing tuition fees, beginning from N350,000, on students in the Nigerian public-owned tertiary institutions.

    “On the question of how the students will raise such money, the government’s answer is that it will establish an Education Bank, where students will access credit facilities and pay back on completion of their studies.

    “The union, speaking from the background that education is the right and not a privilege of every Nigerian child, made frantic efforts to make pragmatic explanations on the negative implications and the non-feasibility of this scheme to representatives of government to no avail.”

    According to ASUU, Babalakin has not dropped the proposed new tuition regime.

    The union said it would resist the imposition of a fee hike.

    It described the development as a ploy to deprive the poor of their rights to education, saying if the Education Bank is established, many students would not be able to access loans.

    Adejumo recalled that the union, “after all avenues to seek the attention of government failed, went on a warning strike in 2017 to press home some demands”.

    He said: “At the point at which the warning strike was suspended, our union signed a Memorandum of Action (MOA) with the government. The summary of issues in the MOA point to some actionable tasks on the side of government and the union to redeem the parlous state of the Educational sector in the country.

    “Unfortunately, we are now back to where we started with the Federal Government’s failure to implement the agreements reached with our union in the MOA.”

    Adejumo said the government has always agreed that the condition in the Nigeria university “is a serious state that needs urgent intervention”.

    He added: “As a result, government agreed to pay a quarterly intervention of N20 billion into a dedicated account at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to pilot the revitalisation scheme. Unexpectedly, government has refused to pay the amount, which has now accrued to N2 trillion…”

     

  • Nigeria at 58: How nation has fared in Education — ASUU, Unilag VC, others

    Education stakeholders in the country have expressed mixed feelings on the development in the sector, 58 years after it gained independence.

    They spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Monday.

    The National President, Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Mr Michael Alogba-Olukoya, told NAN that the country, in the sector, had been`moving in a circle.’

    He said that government at all levels had not done enough to ensure that the sector took its rightful place in the scheme of things.

    According to him, lack of development of the sector is taking its toll on the country’s youth in terms of high unemployment rate.

    Alogba-Olukoya noted that for a turnaround in the system, there must be sincere commitments from the country’s leaders.

    He called for an overhaul of the country’s curriculum, to tally with the demands of the 21st century.

    The Union leader noted that what obtained in the sector in the 1960s was completely different from what was obtainable in the present age.

    “Our politicians have not shown the commitment to build this sector, and that is why it will be good if they could come together to redefine it for us to be able to achieve the much needed national transformation and development.

    “What we should all have at the back of our mind is that there is a huge difference between funding and investment in education.

    “It is not enough to build schools all over the place when the people to work there are not happy, as well as no matching infrastructure to drive such structures.

    “It will yield no results, as it is like a motion without movement.

    “I think it is time for us to come together for an education summit if truly want to take this country to its desired height.

    “If not, all what we profess to be doing in the sector is merely moving in a circle.

    “ We should also show some concern in what I call budget tracking.

    “This is important if we truly wish to re-position the sector, because it is not enough for anybody to wake up and declare billions of naira into the sector with no one paying attention on its implementation,’’ the unionist said.

    He urged the National Assembly to be more proactive in passing laws that are education-friendly, while ensuring that there is huge investment in the sector that would eventually drive all other sectors of the country’s economy.

    Chief Adeolu Ogunbanjo, the 2nd Deputy National President, National Parent Teacher Association of Nigeria (NAPTAN), noted that education in the country had not enjoyed its pride of place, especially in the area of funding.

    Ogunbanjo told NAN that only one state in the country had set aside over 20 per cent of its budget for the development of education.

    He said the 10 per cent, or even less, that was being set aside for the same purpose by the other states across the country was worrisome.

    “As we all know, education is the only worthy legacy that any nation can bequeath to its future generation, just as it is the bedrock of any development.

    “But I am afraid that as far as its development in this country is concerned, we are not there yet.

    “So we must all come together as a people, do all what it takes to make sure education takes a centre stage in the scheme of affairs in this country, if indeed our quest for national development and transformation is to be realised.

    “The Federal and the state governments must also lead the way in doing the needful in this regard, just as they should also ensure that there is a boost in research grants, especially for our tertiary institutions.

    “Lack of these grants are equally taking their toll on not just the institutions, but its products and the country’s economy in general,” he said.

    Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, Vice-Chancellor, University of Lagos (Unilag), is of the view that the sector is not completely a write-off as being portrayed by some sections of the society.

    He, however, agrees that there is need for an urgent education summit.

    According to him, the level of education in the country can still be seen as work in progress.

    He said that a lot of positive achievements were still being recorded despite its challenges.

    “I do not want to think that there is nothing good about our system, despite what we are going through.

    “Yes, we cannot say that it is Uhuru but it can only get better.

    “Today, if you look at the various academic activities going on in the system especially at the tertiary level, you will have cause to say there is hope, though slowly, but surely.

    “For instance, just recently, the Bank of America visited our university and disclosed to me that students of Unilag that were engaged for internship were competing favourably with their counterparts from Harvard, Stamford and Cambridge.

    “I see this as a boost to our morals at the same time a plus to not just the university alone but also the country at large and it goes to tell you that the standard of education in the country is work in progress and we shall get there.

    “This is because products from this system of ours could not have been able to achieve this feat if the sector was a complete write off.

    “But having said this, I think there is room for improvement in ensuring that the sector takes its rightful place,’’ Ogundipe said.

    He noted that the country was progressing as a people and that the citizenry should see it as such.

    According to him, there is no perfect system in the world, adding that even in the developed world, the standard of education could not be seen as being what it should be, given the constant change of trend.

    “Having said this though, I feel governments must be alive to their responsibilities especially in the area of research.

    “I tell people one thing; tell me of a country that is doing well in the world and I will tell you of a country that is funding research.

    “We must equally pay attention to our education too, especially at the foundation level if we indeed want to discover our potentials as a people,’’ he said.

    Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, National President, Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), told NAN that the country’s ruling class has not fully appreciated the relationship between provision of education as a public good and the developmental aspirations of the country.

    According to him, many of the state governors are quick to profess that education is topmost in the list of their priorities without matching commitments to show for it.

    The ASUU boss warned that for as long as the country’s ruling class continues to play politics with education, the country’s aspiration to drive her development through education would remain a mirage. (NAN)

  • Sokoto State University lecturers join strike

    The Sokoto State University chapter of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has joined the nationwide strike on the minimum wage called by the organised labour.

    The chapter ASUU chairman, Dr Attahiru Sifawa, told newsmen on Friday in Sokoto that the lecturers decided to join the strike as a result of a directive from the national body of ASUU.

    Sifawa said that the ASUU branch held an emergency meeting on Thursday over the directive and a consensus was reached by members to join the industrial action.

    He said that as a result of the decision, all academic activities and meetings in the institution had been suspended.

    Read Also: Strike may affect workers’ salaries, warns AGF

    The nationwide industrial action, which began on Wednesday, has recorded partial compliance in the Sokoto metropolis, as work was still going on at the hospitals owned by the federal and state governments.

    On the other hand, primary and secondary schools in the city have not been fully operational even though they are opened, while few workers, mostly security guards, could be seen at the federal and state secretariats.

    NAN reports that courts were not sitting and commercial banks were closed, while markets and motor parks remained opened and busy with routine transactions.