8th June, 2022
By Jethro Ibileke
The Edo State Government has suspended forthwith, all union activities across all state-owned tertiary institutions in the state.
The Secretary to the State Government, Osarodion Ogie, announced the suspension in a statement on Wednesday.
He disclosed that the decision was taken at the state executive council meeting held on Wednesday, in response to a peaceful protest on Tuesday by students of Edo State-owned Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma.
The students had asked the management of the institution to suspend all forms of staff/lecturers unionism, to enable a free flow of academic activities in the institution.
According to the SSG, unions affected include ASUU, NASU, SSANU, ASUP and NASUP.
The statement which instructed the management of AAU to henceforth implement a no-work-no-pay policy, reads reads further:
“Following the protest by students of Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma, over the lingering strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the Edo State Government at the State Executive Council meeting on Wednesday suspended all union activities across all state-owned institutions of higher learning.
“Unions affected include ASUU, Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU), Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), Non-Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics and all allied unions operating across all state-owned tertiary institutions.
“By this notice, academic activities are to resume in all state-owned institutions and all cadre of staff are directed to report lo their duty posts immediately.
“Students across all state-owned tertiary institutions are expected to resume for lectures as necessary measures have been taken to ensure resumption of academic and non-academic activities.
“Management of the affected institutions have been mandated to pay all outstanding salaries immediately.
“The management of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, is hereby directed to implement a no-work-no-pay policy, declare vacant and advertise the position of any staff that refuses to resume work in line with this directive.”
The AAU students had on Tuesday had asked the management of the institution to suspend all forms of staff/lecturers unionism, to enable a free flow of academic activities in the institution.
They asked Governor Godwin Obaseki to “emulate what is being done in Kogi State where there is no union and the academic calendar goes smoothly without strikes.
“In Kogi State, there is no staff union and their academic calendar runs to favour the students; a four-year course is a four-year course. There is no strike and the students are happy.
“I call on the Governor to borrow the Kogi example to put the national ASUU strike to an end in AAU,” the students had said.