ASUU: Reptile scare delays resumption in Benue varsity

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), in Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi (JOSTUM) on Monday said their offices are not safe for immediate habitation as reptiles have taken over them.

Chairman of ASUU JOSTUM, Prof. Ameh Ejembi, who spoke to journalists in Makurdi, noted that the congress met earlier on Monday to review its NEC directive for the suspension of the eight-month-old strike embarked by the union and that they resolved to resume work immediately.

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Ejembi, “I directed everybody to go to their offices except that the offices are not too healthy for us. There are lots of reptiles in our private offices and laboratories because of the long abandonment and the flood as we are close to the river.

“We have already written to the Vice-Chancellor of the institution to please fumigate the environment as quickly as possible so that people can settle down and feel safe to work.

“Our strike is not like any other strike. For every assignment we ought to do, when we come back that will be the first point we will start with. We had finished exams for the first semester so I have directed our members to mark and submit their work on time.

“But, we are appealing that the government should understand that these people have been out of salary for eight months so for them to be able to come back to work effectively, we should be able to show some goodwill so that the people can be empowered.”

Similarly, the Chairman of ASUU in Benue State University (BSU), Dr Tarnongo Kwaghfan, said that the chapter after congress on Monday morning suspended the strike.

“ASUU did not call off the strike, we suspend it because we are dealing with people who are not honourable and you always have a pinch of salt when dealing with them. What that means is that the university will resume and lecturers will go back to work.

“We are expecting that the government should do the needful so that we avoid these unnecessary breaks in the educational system at the tertiary level. Now, there would be no rest for lecturers and no rest for students. We need to catch up with issues we left behind,” Kwaghfan posited.