ASUU Strike: UNICAL, FUDMA, UMYU Lecturers Resume Academic Activities

According to reports, UNICAL, FUDMA, UMYU lecturers has resumed academic activities after ASUU strike.

The Nation reports that lecturers at the University of Calabar (UniCal) in Cross River State, as well as those of the Federal University, Dutsinma (FUDMA) in Katsina State and the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua University, also in Katsina, have resumed academic activities for fresh and old students of the institutions.

A check yesterday by News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on UniCal’s campus in Calabar showed that fresh students were already visiting some offices for their registration.

Also, some final year students of the institution were busy doing their clearances at different points on campus.

NAN reports that most of the lecturers had visited their offices and getting set for academic activities.

Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Florence Obi, told NAN that she was happy to welcome lecturers and students back on campus.

The vice chancellor said the Senate of the university had resolved that no student would be victimised due to the strike by the lecturers.

She said with the resumption of academic activities, the university was set for serious activities with the students in order to catch up with the lost period of eight months.

“During the period of the strike, we were busy on campus with our drive for infrastructural development and building of new classroom blocks and hostels in preparation for resumption.

“We had classrooms that were dilapidated. So, we used the period of the strike to fix the desks and complete pavilions one, two, three, courtesy of Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund).

“Today, we also have a beautiful road network on campus and we got that through the intervention of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

“During the strike, we also ran a workshop where we hosted lecturers from the Association of African Universities. In all, we were able to use the period of the strike to achieve many things.

“We just had our first mass this morning where we dedicated the resumption activities to God,” Prof. Obi said.

The VC urged the students to be focused and dedicated to their studies.

When The Nation visited FUDMA’s main campus, the lecturers were seen holding meetings, showing their readiness to get back to work.

But the university’s campuses at the temporary and permanent sites still remained empty.

The varsity’s authority had not directed students to return for the commencement of academic works.

Even the lock-up shops and minimarkets around the campuses still remained deserted.

The ASUU Chairman at FUDMA, Dr. Jibrin Shagari, told The Nation that the union had called off the strike, as directed by the national body, and was ready to begin teaching as soon as the Senate of the university draws up a fresh academic calendar.

Also, when The Nation visited the state-owned Umaru Musa Yar’Adua University, the lecturers were on campus in preparation for the resumption of academic activities.

The university’s spokesman Abdulhamis Danjuma said: “ASUU’s UMYU chapter has called off its eight-month strike and the university management will direct for the reopening of the institution shortly after the Senate meeting.”

At UniJos, our correspondent gathered that the management had approved the continuation of registration of undergraduate and postgraduate students for the 2020/2021 academic session.

A statement by the Deputy Registrar of the institution, Abdullahi Abdullahi, said this is preparatory to the full resumption of academic activities for the first semester of 2020/2021 academic session which was suspended due to the strike.

It directed all students who are yet to register, to do so between October 17 and 30, when the university’s online registration portal: www.unijos.edu.ng will be open.

Also, the UniJos management has approved the immediate cleaning, fumigation and maintenance services at the university’s campuses, hostels and other facilities in readiness for the full commencement of academic activities.

The university’s Senate is expected to meet soon and review the academic calendar to know when lectures and other academic activities will officially resume.