Labour strike grounds UI

Both academic and non-academic activities are on hold at the University of Ibadan following the nationwide strike declared by the Nigeria Labor Congress on Wednesday, CAMPUS REPORTER can confirm.

The strike is to press the government to review the national minimum wage, currently N18,000.

We observed that in some faculties, students and lecturers could not access lecture venues because they were under lock and keys causing academic activities to be grounded due.

This development, however, forced many students to loiter around the school premises while some students in halls of residence proceeded home for the ‘compulsory break’.

The ASUU UI Chairman, Deji Omole while speaking on the situation said, “ASUU is an affiliate of NLC and the national leadership of the Union attended the NEC meeting of NLC where the decision to embark on the ongoing warning strike was taken. Members of ASUU have been directed to join the strike action declared by NLC since on Thursday, 27 September 2018”.

He, however, affirmed that the decision to join the NLC was as a result of the declared warning strike to press for the conclusion of negotiation on minimum wage.

When CAMPUS REPORTER quizzed students on their reaction concerning the ongoing strike, a student, Moses Samson, lamented bitterly about the strike action. He said, “it is definitely going to affect the school calendar which is supposed to end this before the Christmas.”

Another student who is in the final year, only identified as Abisola, said: “This strike action is affecting me because I’ve been unable to see my project supervisor, let the government answer the workers and see to their plight”.

Lade, a resident member of independence hall said, “Classes didn’t hold too, I don’t know if my faculty was locked on Friday, because I didn’t bother going but classes are not holding everywhere and we can’t tell what happens next week. most people have gone home”.

It should be recalled that the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and its affiliate unions issued out a statement indicating the commencement of a nationwide industrial action starting from midnight Wednesday 26th September, to protest the delay in fixing a new minimum wage for public servants.