Lecturers of the University of Benin (UNIBEN) on Tuesday complied with the Federal Government’s directive to resume work, with some of the lecturers said to have signed the resumption register stationed at the Deans’ Offices at the various faculties on the university campus in Benin.
Our correspondent in Benin said that not less than 33 out of about 50 lecturers in the Faculty of Law, had signed the resumption register.
However, lecturers at the Faculty of Management Sciences are yet to sign the register, while the heads of department in the Faculty of Agriculture were seen holding a faculty meeting as at the time our correspondent, Pius Aikhojie visited the campus.
Efforts to speak with the executives of the UNIBEN chapter of ASUU proved abortive, as members of the union were holding a meeting as at the time of filing this report.
However, a lecturer in the university, who preferred anonymity, said that the strike was mismanaged by the national ASUU leadership.
“We are not against ASUU or what it is fighting for, but we are against the methodology as well as the adamant and childish approach of the leadership at this point in time.
“Agreement can be written or oral, and President Goodluck Jonathan has assured us that the agreement with ASUU would be implemented.
“I think the sensible thing to do is to await the president’s directive to implement it; and if he does not do it, we then call up another strike.
“Many of us are disappointed with the union leadership’s attempt to distort what has been agreed upon by all members across the country. We believe in the Federal Government, we believe in what the highest authority in the country has said and we have decided to resume work.
“And when we resume and the government is not doing anything about it; then, we will think of going back on strike again,’’ the lecturer said.