Lecturers teaching in state owned universities in Rivers State are under pressure by ASUU to abandon the classroom and join the campaign to lockdown all institutions of learning across the country.
The Telegraph has learnt authoritatively that ASUU leaders through their acolytes found on campuses of state owned institutions have been trying to persuade their colleagues to join the strike.
Arguing that “injury to one, is injury to all”, ASUU is insisting all university teachers should participatr in the strike.
A one-month warning strike is already underway, with most students born by poor parents who populate most public schools sent back home.
Series of consultations, most of the time behind the scenes, have been going on at the instance of ASUU sympathizers at the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education and the Rivers State University.
Thus far, views among lecturers are divided, but a greater number of the academic staff in Rivers State owned universities do not subscribe to joining the strike.
Two-Count Charge Against ASUU
Lecturers employed by River State owned universities are hesitant for two reasons.
First, knowledgeable sources say ASUU abandoned lecturers working in state universities at a time of great need.
Recall that during the Amaechi administration ASUU staged a walk out from a crucial meeting called by government to bargain with lecturers over their pay package.
When ASUU leaders withdrew, serious conversations continued with leaders of polytechnic lecturers union on how to deal with their welfare.
Our investigation shows that ASUU leaders never returned to the negotiation table after that.
That action by ASUU, our study shows, gave polytechnic teachers in Rivers State an edge.
Our findings indicate that lecturers drawn from the polytechnics earned fatter salaries and drew far better allowances than their university colleagues did throughout the duration of the Amaechi government.
The situation remained like that until the coming of the Governor Nyesom Wike administration.
We have heard that academic staff of state owned institutions decided to approach the State Governor without the help of ASUU.
Wike listened to their complaint and without any hesitation, granted their request for better pay packages.
It is a well known fact that lecturers at the University of Port Harcourt earn less than their counterparts employed by the Rivers State University or Ignatius Ajuru University of Education.
A lecturer at Uniport, name withheld, said, “Lecturers in State owned universities are properly remunerated. The Rivers State is not one of those states with a poor record for handling welfare matters relating to teachers.”
Pay Back Time For ASUU
For most lecturers serving in State institutions, it is really pay back time. “They (ASUU) talk of solidarity. Where was ASUU when we needed them?”, a female lecturer who is opposed to joining the strike fumed.
The second reason why lecturers are refusing to leave their classrooms to support ASUU is because Wike has regularly met his obligations to them.
Some lecturers working in state owned universities have confirmed to the Telegraph that Wike has ensured that his administration pays their salaries and allowances as at, and when due.
These lecturers also acknowledge that new facilities intended to improve the quality of instruction in state owned institutions and enhance the welfare of students are being provided by the State Government.
As a result of these, lecturers recruited by state varsities do not find any compelling need to support ASUU.
ASUU which is up in arms with the authorities, however, has a set of demands that it has articulated as part of the build up to further negotiations with the national government.
Top on the priority list of ASUU is the non payment of allowances agreed on between its leaders and the Federal authorities.
ASUU insists its members are being denied the reward for hard work for reasons that are largely unjustified.
As a result, the union is vowing its members will not return to the classroom until Federal Government and other stakeholders do the needful.