By George Onah
Port Harcourt—  Following the protracted strike  action embarked upon since October last year by members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU and Non-Academic Staff Union, NASU, of Rivers State University of Science and Technology, RSUST, the Governing Council of the institution has directed the teachers and workers to resume work or get sacked.

A statement by the management of the institution in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, yesterday, said, “the action of the teachers since 2008 has caused the school to lose one academic session and about to lose the 2010/2011 session.”

Signed by Registrar/Secretary, Mrs. D. Odimabo, the statement by the university authority said, “the strike has also led to the delisting of the RSUST from admission of students for the 2012 academic session by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board.”

In addition, the institution has also “lost opportunity for 2011 National Youth Service Corps service year for batch ‘A’. The attitude of the unions has indeed plunged the reputation of the university to a very low standard.”

Troubled by the development, the management of the school said “in view of the fact that the on-going industrial action by the local chapters of ASUU and NASU is illegal and unlawful, council has, therefore, decided that all staff on strike should return to wrk within two weeks.”

It warned that any of the teachers or “staff who fails to comply with this directive would cease to be employee(s) of the university.” The university authority said it had made overtures to the various unions to resolve the issues to no avail.

Vanguard, however, gathered that the staffers of the institution are angry over salary issues. The unions alleged that the state government refused to honour the agreement reached between the Federal Government and ASUU, NASU, SSANU and NAAT on the implementation of FGN/Unions agreement.