The Congress Of Nigeria University Academics (CONUA), University of Benin (Uniben) Chapter, distanced itself from the ongoing Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) nationwide indefinite strike, describing it as a “one-man decision”.
The Nigeria Labour Congress, on Monday, announced an indefinite nationwide strike over the alleged brutality of its President, Joe Ajaero in Imo State.
The strike has been paralysing human and commercial activities across the country.
In Edo, checks by Nigerian Tribune around the state capital showed that Court premises, deposit banks, and other financial institutions were under lock and key in strict compliance with NLC directives.
Activities in government ministries and agencies were also halted by the solidarity strike while only private businesses were open for transactions.
Also, Oredo, Egor and other local government Secretariats who were visited complied with the strike as workers in their numbers hung around the councils’ premises
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Uniben CONUA, Comrade Ishaq Osagie-Eweka, in a chat with our Correspondent on Tuesday in Benin, said that CONUA is not an affiliate of the NLC, hence, it is not part of the protest.
“On behalf of CONUA members, Uniben Chapter, I wish to unequivocally state that we are not an affiliate of NLC, hence, we are not part of the protest.
‘I call on our members to go about their lawful duties for the overall best interest of the students.
“As a chapter, we shall not make any public statement regarding the sudden strike arising from one man’s decision, over his ill-conceived protest at Imo State that led to an alleged physical attack”, he said
Dr. Osagie-Eweka, however, maintained that the rationale behind CONUA is to promote an uninterrupted academic calendar of university education in Nigeria.
He noted that the administration of the Vice Chancellor of University of Benin is interim with the union’s objectives of having a smooth and uninterrupted academic calendar in the school.
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