ASUU Strike: Our Lives Depend On Campus Business, BUK Traders Lament

Bayero University Kano has suspended its on-campus job scheme earlier initiated and directed all students residing on its two campuses to vacate hostels and the entire varsity premises on or before March 20.

Daily Trust reported that the institution’s Information and Publication Secretary, Bala Abdullahi, on behalf of the University Registrar in a statement said the decision followed the extension of the ongoing warning strike by members of the Academic Staff Union of the University (ASUU) for another two months.

Following the order, traders on the campuses fumed, saying their lives depend entirely on the businesses on the campus.

Some of the traders lamented that their businesses have suffered severe blow since the union embarked on the four-week warning strike. They said that their businesses were already crippled by 80 to 90 per cent.

Abubakar Gali Maitama, a shopkeeper, said the strike does not affect only students, but also the businesses and traders on the campus.

“As you can see now, I am just sitting alone; no customers to attend to unlike before when the large turnout here would not give us chance to have this conversation.

“80 to 90 percent of businesses have been crippled because majority of the customers are students. Now that the remaining students in the campus, who come out to buy are ordered to vacate, our business is dead.”

Similarly, Adamu Aliyu, who sells writing materials and Alhaji Isa who sells perishable goods at the ‘Coke Village’ market were both disappointed with the development.

“We prayed that ASUU and FG will reconcile so that our businesses can come back normally,” they said.

By Muhammad Sulaiman and Salim Umar Ibrahim (Kano)

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