Ekiti varsity workers begin indefinite strike

State names Govt House, hospital after Adebayo
Academic activities were yesterday halted as workers of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) began an indefinite strike.

The workers protested against alleged victimisation, intimidation and non-payment of their hazard allowances.

They blocked the gate leading to the university and other major roads, causing a traffic gridlock in the area.

Members of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT), participated in the strike.

The workers threatened not to call off the strike until their demands were met.

The NAAT Chairman, Ekundayo Ajibaye, called for the immediate withdrawal of the queries issued to the union leaders, as well as the dissolution of the panel raised to intimidate the workers.

“We are fighting impunity and corruption at the university and we want the Federal Government to beam its searchlight here,” he said.

The workers also called for the establishment of a budget monitoring committee to look into the allegation of financial impropriety against the management.

The university’s management had suspended the union leaders for allegedly disrupting the meeting of the university’s governing council held in the school last week.

It took the intervention of the Oye Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Sadiku Afolabi, to pacify the workers to remove the blockages.

Also, NASU Chairman, Dada Adebayo and SSANU Chairman, Babafunso Awe, also justified the strike.

Reacting, the university’s spokesman, Godfrey Bakji, said there was no reason for the unions to go on strike, especially as their leaders had been suspended.

Bakji described the workers’ allegation as untrue and an attempt to blackmail the management.

He appealed to them to return to their duty posts and cooperate with management.