BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME

PORT HARCOURT – EMBATTLED Vice Chancellor of Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Prof. Barineme Fakae, has dismissed allegations that the ongoing strike by the university’s branch of Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, had crippled academic activities in the institution.

Fakae, who addressed members of  Rivers State chapter of  Federated Union of Journalists at their secretariat in Port Harcourt, weekend, said about 95 per cent of the lecturers of the university were working.

He said that not all the lecturers were on strike, adding that the school had gone ahead to employ additional 100 lecturers.

On whether the employment was intended to replace the striking lecturers, he said it was in response to a directive from the governor,  about three years ago, that additional lecturers should be employed by the university to shore up quality of  learning in the school.

RSUST’s branch of ASUU has been on strike since August last year, calling for the sack of the Vice Chancellor.

ASUU branch chairman,  Dr. Felix Igwe, said there was alleged breach in the laid down rules governing the university with the reappointment of Prof. Fakae as Vice Chancellor by Visitor to the school, Governor Chibuike Amaechi.

On his part, the Visitor and state governor had charged the school’s chapter of ASUU to challenge his action in court, if they were sure of their claim that he breached the university’s law in the VC’s appointment.