The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) branch of the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, is distributing food items and cash among its members to cushion the effect of spending five months without salary.
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This is just as the lecturers have dismissed the threat issued by the federal government that they call off their protracted strike or be fired. The ABU management is yet to announce resumption of academic activities.
The local chapter of the union said it was distributing the food items and cash to reduce the pressure on some of their members from their family members.
In its resolution at the end of its congress signed by the chairman, Dr Kabiru Aliyu, the branch condemned the threat and intimidation by the government through the supervising minister of education, Nyesom Wike, to sack all academic staff and advertise their positions if they failed to return to work by December 4, 2013.
Aliyu also confirmed that the branch was distributing relief material such as rice, Semovita, vegetable oil and cash ranging from N20,000 to N50,000 among its members.
He noted that the union was not unaware of the pressure from family members on the striking lecturers to resume work in accordance with the government’s directive.
He said, “We are aware of that. But I can assure you that the number is negligible and not enough to have any impact on us.
“However, I am not sure that any register will be opened here. But even if they did, we are also aware that some people will go and sign. But that will not help the situation.”
LEADERSHIP checks revealed that lecture rooms at the ABU were still empty as the university was yet to issue a circular directing the resumption of lectures.
A dependable source said the university’s Governing Council has been meeting since Monday to find a common ground and an amicable resolution of the impasse.
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