- Dr. Osagie-Eweka, however, maintained that the rationale behind CONUA is to promote an uninterrupted academic calendar of university education in Nigeria.
- He noted that the administration of the Vice Chancellor of University of Benin is interim with the union’s objectives of having a smooth and uninterrupted academic calendar in the school.
The University of Benin (UNIBEN) Chapter of the Congress of Nigeria University Academics (CONUA) has disassociated itself from the ongoing statewide indefinite strike of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), characterising it as a “one-man decision”.
In response to allegations of brutality by its president, Joe Ajaero, in Imo State, the Nigeria Labour Congress declared on Monday that it will go on an indefinite nationwide strike.
All around the nation, the strike has rendered human and business activity completely paralysed.
The Nigerian Tribune conducted checks throughout the state capital of Edo and discovered that all financial institutions, including deposit banks and court premises, were strictly adhering to NLC guidelines by keeping their doors locked.
Activities in government ministries and agencies were also halted by the solidarity strike while only private businesses were open for transactions.
Also, Oredo, Egor and other local government Secretariats who were visited complied with the strike as workers in their numbers hung around the councils’ premises
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Uniben CONUA, Comrade Ishaq Osagie-Eweka, in a chat with our Correspondent on Tuesday in Benin, said that CONUA is not an affiliate of the NLC, hence, it is not part of the protest.
“On behalf of CONUA members, Uniben Chapter, I wish to unequivocally state that we are not an affiliate of NLC, hence, we are not part of the protest.
‘I call on our members to go about their lawful duties for the overall best interest of the students.
“As a chapter, we shall not make any public statement regarding the sudden strike arising from one man’s decision, over his ill-conceived protest at Imo State that led to an alleged physical attack”, he said
Dr. Osagie-Eweka, however, maintained that the rationale behind CONUA is to promote an uninterrupted academic calendar of university education in Nigeria.
He noted that the administration of the Vice Chancellor of University of Benin is interim with the union’s objectives of having a smooth and uninterrupted academic calendar in the school.