By Adeyinka Adeniran
As the nation wide strike called by the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) entered its third day across public universities in the country, students and staff at the University of Ibadan have began to groan as essential service including water and power supply are been affected.
But despite the strike, academic activities including ongoing examination is not interrupted.
When Corenews visited the campus on Wednesday, the main entrance gates were still opened with both students and visitors having free access. But activity was on a low.
It was also observed that exams and lectures are continuing as scheduled, allowing the academic calendar to proceed. A few offices were seen under lock and keys.
However, the lack of basic services have created significant challenges for students and faculty who rely on these basic facilities on campus.
It was gathered that the students and staff relying on campus facilities are facing hardship due to disruptions in basic services.
A source said the situation was occasioned with the absence of NASU and SSANU members who usually manage such key operations, which has also affected the supply of electricity and water, among other daily routines on campus.
A student who pleaded anonymity while expressing his frustration to The Nation said “due to the strike, we haven’t had light, and when there is no light, there’s no water. The government should pay these people. The money they are owed is a mere peanut, yet the government is still owing them. They have families to support.”
Another student from the Faculty of Arts in a chat said the strike has made them pay on transport to campus because the short cut they walk from the halls of residence to the lecture hall has been shut due to the strike.
In his own account, another source said, it was not as if the electricity issue on campus was perfect, but the strike has made it worse. He added that the situation if not quickly address will lead to water scarcity on campus as students are already beginning to ration water usage for domestic use.
UI SSANU Chairman, Comrade Omisore Rasaki, said the strike was a national directive and that as such only a national directive can call it off.
He said the issues bothers on four months salary arrears, adding that it was annoying that when all unions embarked on a strike, at the same times, upon return “academic staff were paid after a prolonged strike, we returned to work in four months, yet our salaries remain withheld.”
He noted that as the strike lingers, the disruption to campus life for, academic staff, non-academic staff and students relying on their services is expected to continue, with no clear resolution in sight.
He however emphasized the urgent need for government intervention, adding, “Yes government is trying to put the country in good shape but that does not mean people should die. Yes you’re trying to clean up but must people die because you’re doing that?
“Even those that take their salaries when due every month, they are not finding things easy with the shape of the economy as it is today”.
