By Vincent Ujumadu
STRIKING lecturers of Anambra State University who were given up till yesterday by the governing council of the university to report for work or consider their services voluntarily withdrawn from the institution, remained adamant as none of them reported for duty at the two campuses at Uli and Igbariam.

At the two campuses Wednesday, registers were placed at the gates for the lecturers to sign on arrival, but as at 2.00 pm, nobody had signed it.

Neither officials of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, nor Chairman of the Governing Council, Professor Elochukwu Amaucheazi, could be reached, but the lecturers had at a congress held at Igbariam, insisted that the issues at stake had not been resolved, adding that the strike would continue.

Last week, Amucheazi had explained that the council had met the conditions agreed on between the striking lecturers and the government, adding that the council did not understand why the lecturers still refused to go back to work.

Amucheazi, a one time Director-General of National Orientation Agency, NOA, said  the governing council entered into negotiation with ASUU, and beyond that, Anambra people waded into the crisis.

Giving the lecturers the ultimatum to return to classes by yesterday, Amaucheazi had recalled that the Obi Of Onitsha, Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe, with the Traditional Rulers Council, religious leaders, Supreme and High Court Judges, invited the union and the council, including the government, and directed that they resume work, while negotiations go on, but the lecturers refused.

According to him,”as at now, the salaries have been very well enhanced as expected, where a Federal  University professor will be earning N425.000 and our own professor in the state university will be earning N400,000.”

He also recalled that  “Anambra State House of Assembly members representing the people of the state also waded into the matter and came up with resolution directing that the lectures go back to work and they said all decision should be documented which the council did.”

The House of Assembly, he noted, again two days ago, came up with a memorandum of understanding, MoU, which he signed on behalf of the council and the vice chancellor signed for the school, but ASUU chairman refused to sign, contrary to the report that the council did not sign.