Following the suspension of the three weeks old nationwide strike embarked upon by the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non Academic Staff of Union (NASU) the acting chairman of SSANU in the Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO), Comrade Uchenna Nwokeji has directed non–teaching staff in the university to resume work immediately.
Activities at the Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO) were grounded during the indefinite strike embarked upon by the unions.
The strike followed the federal government’s handling of the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System, sharing formula of the N40 billion earned academic allowances and non-payment of arrears of the new minimum wage.
Addressing journalists in Owerri on Sunday, Comrade Nwokeji, commended FUTO workers for being steadfast and fully supporting the strike action while it lasted, promising that the union under him would continue to defend and fight for their welfare and rights.
“I on behalf of our Union, want to call on our members to resume work immediately so that we won’t be seen to be enjoying the strike. I want to tell you that none of us was happy that the strike took place. But we didn’t have any other options”, Nwokeji said.
He also hailed the university management for not picking serious issues with the workers especially union leaders during the strike
We have “no illusion that the resolution signed with government will resolve all the important problems in the system.” He noted that “What we believe is that if the Federal Government faithfully implements the resolutions with SSANU and NASU, further crises would be avoided to the benefit of our education and our country.” He assured the national leadership of the union of FUTO Branch’s unalloyed support.
