The management of
\nRivers State University of Science and Technology (RSUST), Port
\nHarcourt, at the weekend gave indications of its willingness to engage the
\nstriking Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) of the institution in
\nmeaningful dialogue as a means of resolving their disagreements.<\/p>\n
Speaking at the weekend in Port Harcourt,\u00a0 the institution\u2019s Deputy Registrar\/Public
\nRelations Officer, Mr Desmond Wosu was reported to have said that the
\nmanagement of the university was now prepared to dialogue with ASUU and other
\nunions to restore peace and normalcy to the institution.<\/p>\n
However,The Tide investigations last week revealed that
\nuneasy calm and uncertainty once again enveloped the RSUST, Port Harcourt,
\nfollowing the strike action declared by
\nASUU in protest against the re-appointment of Prof Barineme Fakae as the
\nacting Vice Chancellor of the university.<\/p>\n
It would be recalled that the university\u2019s ASUU had given
\nthe state Governor and visitor to the university, Rt Hon Chibuike Rotimi
\nAmaechi a one-week ultimatum to reverse the re-appointment of Prof Fakae or
\nface industrial action.<\/p>\n
It was crystal clear last week when The Tide visited the
\nuniversity that ASUU had\u00a0 made good its
\nthreat to embark on strike at the expiration of the ultimatum, penultimate
\nWednesday, as there was no indication that all was well with the state-owned
\nuniversity.<\/p>\n
Indeed, an atmosphere of uncertainty, confusion and
\napprehension hovered over the campus, as distraught students idled away.<\/p>\n
While some gathered in groups particularly around the
\nFaculty of Engineering block, speaking in hush tones, others milled around
\nhopelessly.<\/p>\n
There was nothing to suggest that teaching and learning or
\nother meaningful activities were going on at the university.<\/p>\n
Several persons, suspected to be non-academic staff, were
\nalso seen gathering around the Amphitheatre block, including stern-looking
\nsecurity men, who were patrolling the area.<\/p>\n
Opposite the block, two SOS vans were also strategically
\npositioned, facing the road.<\/p>\n
The entrance of the Senior Staff Club was firmly locked, as
\nsome security men were seen taking position within the premises of the club.<\/p>\n
The club, which used to be a beehive of activities was
\ndeserted, as senior lecturers of the university and other guests who used to
\ncool-off there after the day\u2019s work, were nowhere to be seen.<\/p>\n
Three lecturers who were seen directly opposite the club,
\nwere , however, visibly agitated.<\/p>\n
They lamented that an incident had taken place at the venue
\nwhere members of ASUU were holding a meeting last Wednesday, to apparently
\nreview strategies of the strike.<\/p>\n
They alleged that an unidentified young man in black attires
\nhad invaded the venue of the meeting, and disrupted it in full glare of
\nsecuritymen who had positioned themselves inside the hall to monitor
\nproceedings as the ASUU meeting progressed.<\/p>\n
Suspecting foul play, some ASUU members were said to have
\nwhisked away the Chairman of the union, Dr Felix Igwe for fear of his life. The
\nTide, however, could not confirm immediately reports and insinuations\u00a0 that Dr Igwe was brutalised and was being
\nhospitalised as a result.<\/p>\n
However, the Deputy Registrar (Public Relations) of the
\nuniversity, Mr Desmond Wosu told The Tide in an exclusive interview in his
\noffice that ASUU had not notified the management of its intention to proceed on
\nstrike.<\/p>\n
While attributing the lull currently experienced in the
\nuniversity to dangerous and unfounded rumours making the rounds concerning the
\nstrike, he said the re-appointment of Prof Fakae, whom he said, had performed
\ncreditably in office, was not enough to degenerate to industrial action.<\/p>\n
Wosu also noted that Governor Amaechi did not make a mistake
\nby re-appointing Prof Fakae, saying, the re-appointment was the best thing that
\nhad happened to the university.<\/p>\n
According to him, Prof Fakae\u2019s reappointment was done in
\ngood faith, following his track record of achievements for the university since
\n2007 when he assumed office.<\/p>\n
He listed the achievements to include the eradication of
\ncultism in the university, the introduction of e-learning system, which he
\nsaid, had placed the university on high pedestal, the full accreditation of the
\nuniversity\u2019s programmes by the National Universities Commission (NUC) and the
\nimproved ranking of the university from 76th to 19th position.<\/p>\n
He also indicated that the Fakae-led administration had\u00a0 ensured that admission into the university
\nwas based on the\u00a0 carrying capacity
\nprescribed by NUC, to the extent that classrooms and lecture rooms were no
\nlonger over-populated while lecturers no longer complained of having too many
\nscripts to mark, coupled with the fact that the university\u2019s science
\nlaboratories and workshops were now well-equipped.<\/p>\n
The university\u2019s image maker further noted that Prof Fakae\u2019s
\nre-appointment would put the university in a better stead, as his
\nadministration would ensure continuous, rapid transformation of the university.<\/p>\n
\u2018Members of the university community should give peace a
\nchance. ASUU should adopt dialogue so that we can move the university forward.
\nEnough is enough. Let us not drive our students to the streets again. It does
\nnot augur well for us , it does not augur well for parents. It is not good for
\nour children. Let us support the management to move the university forward\u201d, he
\npleaded.<\/p>\n
He also defended the VC\u2019s administrative style, and sued for
\npeace, tolerance and dialogue.<\/p>\n
However, a member of the Senior Staff Association of
\nNigerian Universities (SSANU) who was visibly disturbed by the current state of
\naffairs at the university, while speaking to The Tide under condition of
\nanonymity, advised the Vice Chancellor to step aside in the interest of peace,
\nand not allow the university to be consumed by selfish interest.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Donatus Ebi<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The management of Rivers State University of Science and Technology (RSUST), Port Harcourt, at the weekend gave indications of its willingness to engage the striking Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) of the institution in meaningful dialogue as a means of resolving their disagreements. Speaking at the weekend in Port Harcourt,\u00a0 the institution\u2019s Deputy Registrar\/Public […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-49850","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-city-crime"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thetidenewsonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/49850","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thetidenewsonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thetidenewsonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thetidenewsonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thetidenewsonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=49850"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.thetidenewsonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/49850\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thetidenewsonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=49850"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thetidenewsonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=49850"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thetidenewsonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=49850"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}