The Obafemi Awolowo University( OAU), Ile-Ife Chapter of The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU has commenced an indefinite strike action over unresolved allowance sharing formula.
The strike action which commenced on Monday is as a result of what they described as the refusal of the institution’s management to pay their earned academic allowance.
According to reports, they had accused the Eyitope Ogunbodede-led management of unnecessarily delaying the payment of the allowance which they claimed had since been remitted into the university’s account by the Nigerian government since December 13, 2021.
The union took the decision at an emergency congress, which was held at the First Bank Lecture Hall on Monday morning.
But the university management, which had earlier described the strike threat issued by the union as a “family affair,” said it is still watching the events as they unfold before taking the next step.
PREMIUM TIMES had on January 13 exclusively reported the controversies trailing the sharing formula to be adopted by the management for the allowance as ASUU leadership on the campus and that of a splinter faction under the umbrella of the Congress of Nigerian Universities’ Academics (CONUA) had disagreed vehemently.
In a memorandum titled Update on Disbursement of EAA,” and dated January 29, 2021, which read in part: “We have waited PATIENTLY till Friday 28/01/2022 for the university administration to do the needful with respect to our EAA. Up till this moment, the union is not in receipt of any communication whether on readiness to pay EAA or report of verification exercise. This memorandum was shared among its members on Saturday and signed by its chairperson, Adeola Egbedokun, the union reported that the national leadership of the union had approved its request to commence the indefinite strike action.
The memorandum was subsequently followed by a notice of congress slated for Monday which was signed by the union’s secretary, Kayode Atilade.
Confirming the development on the phone to Premium Times reporter on Monday afternoon, the chairperson of ASUU on the campus, Mr Egbedokun, said the strike is total and comprehensive.
Premium Times also reported that in a telephone conversation with PREMIUM TIMES’ reporter on Monday afternoon, the university’s public relations officer, Abiodun Olarewaju, said the management would react later on the matter.
“Yes, like we said earlier it is a family matter. We are still watching the developments as they unfold to know the next step. Thanks so much,” Mr Olarewaju said.
