Benue varsity teachers threaten strike over monetisation
The academic staff of Benue State University, Makurdi, have threatened to go on strike over unpaid monetisation benefits.
The chairwoman of the institution's chapter of ASUU, Dr Regina Ode, issued the threat in Makurdi last weekend in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
She said the payment of the arrears, which commenced in October, was initially programmed for full settlement within four months, in line with an agreement reached between the union and the management of the University.
Dr. Ode, however, said that the management breached the agreement by insisting that the payment of the arrears would be spread across ten months.
She said the union was not comfortable with the new arrangement, and had made its position known to the institution's management, which had also ``remained adamant''.
The ASUU chairwoman said the contention of the university authorities that they entered into the agreement with the union without the consent of the Benue government, the owners of the institution, was weak and unacceptable.
``We have told the management in clear terms that any breach of the agreement will result in a strike action by the lecturers," she added.
Dr. Ode announced that the union's congress would soon meet to take a decision on the date to start the strike, should the state government fail to meet its demand.
She said the lecturers were running out of patience over the matter, warning that they should not be blamed if they went on strike, ``which can lead to the disruption of academic activities at the university''.
The university's Public Relations Officer, Mrs Grace Atim, told NAN that the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Akase Sorkaa, would not be available to speak on the matter, when efforts were made to seek his comments.