By Adesina Wahab

Lecturers in many state universities in the country may not join the ongoing two-week warning strike called by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, not because they are not members of the union, but because they do not want to be used for a fight that does not concern them.

It was gathered that the lecturers are seeing the strike as being majorly necessitated by the faceoff between ASUU and the Federal Government over the enrollment of federal workers on the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System, IPPIS.

While non-teaching staff in federal universities and members of breakaway faction of ASUU, the Congress of University Academics, CONUA, have all enrolled, ASUU members are yet to do so.

However, members of ASUU in state universities are not affected by IPPIS since it is their state governments that pay them.

Though ASUU leaders in some of the state universities are unwilling to openly comment on their reluctance in joining the strike, they gave the indication that if eventually the strikes becomes an indefinite one, they could join.

This, they said, would be in line with the feeling of espirt de corps, the feeling of comradeship.

At the Lagos State University, LASU, Ojo, academic activities are still going on, as the leadership of ASUU has not called out members on strike.

A message sent by the LASU ASUU Chairman, Dr Ibrahim Bakare, on Tuesday night to members read, “Good evening, our distinguished comrades. This is to inform our esteemed ASUU-LASU members that academic activities in our peaceful university remain unaltered. It is only the Congress of ASUU-LASU that is empowered to direct otherwise.

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Since the Congress is yet to meet over strike action, academic colleagues are enjoined to peacefully conduct their lectures, supervise their students and continue with their academic engagements without any fear of harassment and intimidation. Therefore, there is no strike in LASU now. Notice of congress will be sent to all congress members in due course. Thanks. Comrade Ibrahim Bakare (ASUU-LASU Chairman).”

At the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, LAUTECH, jointly owned by Oyo and Osun states, the semester examination is being conducted.

At Olabisi Onabanjo University, OOU, Ago Iwoye, owned by the Ogun State Government, normal activities were going on as at Wednesday.

The same thing at the Osun State University UNIOSUN, as all its campuses brimmed with academic activities.

However, the Chairman, ASUU, Univeristy of Lagos, UNILAG chapter, Dr Dele Ashiru, said the ongoing struggle was not only about IPPIS but other issues that have been pending for years.

He listed them to include better funding of the university system, implementation of the 2009 Agreement among others.

Vanguard