Rivers Varsity, ASUU trade words as strike enters 7th month

MANAGEMENT of Rivers State University of Science and Technology, RSUST and Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, have continued to trade words over the controversy that had trailed the retention of Professor Barineme Fakae as Vice Chancellor of the institution, with no end in sight to the strike by lecturers of the university which has entered the  seventh month.

During its National Executive Council, NEC, meeting at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, ASUU maintained that Rivers State Governor, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi undermined due process by retaining Prof. Fakae as RSUST Vice Challencellor, pressuring the National Universities Commission, NUC, to sanction the university until Fakae’s appointment was reversed.

Reacting, yesterday, RSUST Public Relations Officer, Mr. Desmond Nwosu, accused ASUU’s NEC of meddling in the affairs of the school and blackmailing the university.

Nwosu said that Governor Amaechi respected due process in the reappointment of Fakae and that it would be wiser for the lecturer’s union to have a rethink and impress on the executive of RSUST ASUU chapter to return to work.

Academic activities had, however, continued at the institution even as the lecturers strike enters the seventh month.

Meanwhile, the RSUST ASUU executive is reportedly billed to hold another meeting aimed at fashioning out the next line of action in their determination to ensure the reversal of Prof. Fakae’s reappointment.

-- Vanguard