UNN non teaching staff shutdown activities

By Moses Oyediran

As the nationwide strike action embarked upon by the Non-teaching staff of public universities in the country continues, administrative activities have been grounded at the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN).

Our correspondent observed that there was strict adherence to the strike action in the University, offices like Exams and Records, Works Department, University Medical Centre, University Primary School were under lock and key.

Speaking with Daily Times, the Medical Director of UNN Medical Centre, Dr. Augustine Onwurah said the ongoing strike action has forced the centre to discharge all its patients.

Onwurah said every effort of his to plead with the leadership of the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of non-teaching staff in UNN to allow the centre to operate skeletal services fell on deaf ears as JAC withdrew all its members from the centre and locked up all offices.

“Previously, JAC allows the medical centre to operate skeletal services, considering the plights of patients but I do not know their reasons for turning down our request this time to operate skeletal services down.

” I am not against the union’s demands from the government but it pains me that we cannot attend to patients because of the strike,” he said.

Also, the Director of Works department, Mr. James Onyishi said the strike had affected operations of the department.

“Non-teaching staff withdraw all their members working in the department as well as locked all the offices.

Onyishi however, said the work department was working in synergy with the Department of Students Affairs to ensure the supply of water and electricity to students hostels.

At University Primary School, a gateman who pleaded anonymity said the school was closed by the leadership of UNN non-teaching staff on Monday.

” They said the school will remain closed till Federal Government meets their demands,” he said.

President of the Students Union Government (SUG) in UNN, Stephen Ani urged the government to act fast and meet the demands of the non-teaching staff so that the strike would not linger like that of ASUU in 2020.

Comrade Paul Eruah, Chairman of UNN-JAC said his members would not back-down but will continue to stay at home until Federal Government meets staff demands.

Eruah listed some of the non-teaching staff demands to include; government paying staff earned allowances, stop the inconsistency in IPPIS, in salary payments, implement the 2009 agreement among others.

When contacted, Comrade Christian Opata, Chairman, Academic Staff Union Of Universities (ASUU) UNN chapter said that academic activities had been going on smoothly in all departments of the institution.

” We are aware of non-academic staff nationwide strike but we are not affected, lectures and other academic activities are going on as usual.
“Very soon students will start their first-semester exam,” he said.

It would be recalled that the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) of public universities on Friday, February 5, embarked on a nationwide strike over alleged Federal Government refusal to meet their demands.