By Bervelyn Ehia, Abakaliki
The Academic Staff Union of Universities Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu Alike, ASUU AE-FUNAI branch Tuesday declared it would join its counterparts in the country to observe Wednesday, February 9 work-free day.
In a statement signed by the Secretary of ASUU AE-FUNAI,
comrade Joseph Chukwu, he said the work-free day was in preparation for the ASUU strike should the federal government refuse to attend to their demand.
The statement reads, ” ASUU branch of Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu Alike, Ebonyi State, has declared Wednesday, February 9 as work-free day to mobilize the Congress towards proposed oncoming strike action”.
It quoted the branch chairperson, Comrade Ogugua Egwu, to have said that in addition, “the academic staff would not take part in meetings and any other university activity on Wednesday.
“The mobilization congress was meant to properly enlighten the academic staff on what the strike action entailed and what necessitated it.
“ASUU was aggrieved that for over 12 years, the federal government has failed to review the conditions of service of academic staff even after various MoUs and MoAs have been willingly signed by the FG and ASUU. Making them among the least paid lecturers in the world.
“Members are also not happy that the salary being paid through monstrous IPPIS had further increased their sufferings because of the extreme confusion and inconsistencies associated with the payment platform.
“if the grievances of ASUU were not addressed, the proposed strike action would be total and comprehensive and indefinite”.
He also disclosed that an implementation task committee had been set up by the union to monitor compliance to the lecture-free day.