‘Return to Class or Quit’

Angry that striking workers of the Abia State University, Uturu have refused to shift grounds, the state governor, Theodore Orji advised all those dissatisfied with the conditions of service at the institution to quit. The governor said this during a meeting between the state government and major interest groups in the state seeking to find ways of ending the three-month-old strike.



Mr Orji said efforts by his government to ensure that striking staff unions return to work have been rebuffed by the unions’ leadership, which was why he decided to invite religious leaders to wade into the matter. He said federal institutions are there for lecturers who feel they can no longer stay in ABSU and called on the lecturers to make concessions towards resolving the strike in the interest of the students.



The governor said he had promised to pay 100% of the agreement reached by the unions with effect from January next year adding that if the unions insist that the arrears must be paid, he would have to revert to paying only 50%. He said other sectors of the state economy must receive attention, adding that the state has two other tertiary institutions that must also be attended to. As part of efforts to resolve the impasse, the stakeholders, including parents, students and the university management arrived at the conclusion that the striking staff should call off the strike and accept the state government’s offer.



No Wage Increase



They equally agreed that the new wage increase would require an increase in fees paid by students, but that the increase should not be such that parents would be forced to withdraw their wards from school as such action could lead to crime, prostitution and other social vices associated with frustration and idleness.



The pro chancellor of ABSU, Joshua Ogbonnaya gave an overview of the steps so far taken by government to resolve the imbroglio. Bishops and other religious leaders suggested that a meeting be convened between them and the striking unions to try to resolve the issues involved.