Otuoke varsity shuts down as unions begin warning strike

Academic activities at the Federal University, Otuoke were paralysed yesterday, following a strike by the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of four trade unions.

An alleged insensitivity of the management and the governing council to their plight caused the five-day warning strike.

The unions blamed the pro-chancellor of the university, Senator Gbemi Saraki, of running the institution as her private estate.

The JAC, made up of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, the National Association of Academic Technologists and the Non-Academic Staff Union, began the strike yesterday.

In a communiqué on June 22, 2017, the unions lamented that the Saraki-led governing council was indifferent to workers’ welfare, promotions, salary disparity, tax remittances, pension remission, statutory allowances and confirmation of appointments.

The Chairman of JAC, Dr. Omororo Joseph, said in a notice to the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Accra Jaja, that they would begin an indefinite strike if their grievances were not addressed.