7th June, 2010
Academic activities in the University of Calabar have been paralysed following a strike by the lecturers in the university.
The lecturers who have since last week shunned academic activities held a meeting in the Chinua Achebe Hall formerly New Arts Theatre on Friday and formally came to the decision not to attend to any academic activity until their outstanding three months salary is paid by the school authorities.
The lecturers are disdained by the fact whilst the Federal Government releases allocation to the university quarterly, their salaries are always in arrears.
“In a few weeks, the tenure of Bassey Asuquo would elapse, and if we are not paid now the new Vice Chancelor might not be disposed to attending to issues left hanging by his predecessor. We have to act now,†a lecturer in the Economics Department told P.M.NEWS on phone this morning . The strike by the lecturers, which is timed to coincide with the first semester examination, has forced the school authorities to postpone the examinations indefinitely pending when a compromise is reached with the teachers.
Dr. Chike Ekeopara, the chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) Unical chapter refused to pick his calls and when an sms was sent, he replied that “there is no strike.â€
The Information Officer of the university, Mr. Joseph Ekpang, said negotiations are in progress with the lecturers.
“The university does not belong to the vice chancellor; he is the administrator. Issues that border on staff or academics can always be handled by another vice chancellor if one retires or is reassigned,†he said.
—Emma Una/ Calabar