By Emem Idio, Yenagoa

THE Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, Niger Delta University, NDU, Chapter, Bayelsa State has vowed to embark on industrial strike action over the failure of the Bayelsa State government to implement agreements signed with the Bayelsa State government.

The Chairman ASUU NDU Chapter ,Comrade Oyinkepreye Bebeteidoh, who disclosed this in a press conference held at its ASUU NDU secretariat Wilberforce Island, yesterday, regretted that the decision to initiate the process of strike action was instigated following the refusal of the State Government to respond to several overtures to seek audience with the visitor of the Institution, Gov. Douye Diri, on the challenges affecting members and the University in general.

He however, pointed out that the process of the strike action will take immediate effect after due ratification from the ASUU national leadership.

According to ASUU, the contending issues between ASUU and the Bayelsa State Government include the implementation of the 35 per cent and 25 per cent salary increment for members with immediate effect and payment of the arrears from January, 2023 to date and the consequential adjustment and immediate implementation of the N70,000 Minimum Wage to members.

Bebeteidoh said: “We have been hesitant to resume our suspended strike action. However,it has become abundantly clear that industrial action is the only language successive government respond to.

“The implementation of the annual step increment with immediate effect and the payment of the arrears from 2018 to date. Payment of the arrears from 2018 to date and the provision of on-campus residential accommodation for staff to ease the burden,stress and risk of commuting to work from Yenagoa on daily basis.

“Implementation of the annual review of the monthly subvention as contained in the MoA earlier signed on the 1st of September,2022. Employment of Academic staff especially those below the rank of senior lecturer(graduate assistants,lecturer 11, and Lecturer 1).This will bridge the academic manpower gap in almost all the departments in the Niger Delta University and also provide funding for accreditation needs of the University.”

The NDU ASUU Chairman who was flanked by the Vice Chairman, Comrade Ebilade Baraka, Secretary,Comrade Victory Owede, Financial Secretary, Comrade Tampon Johnbull and Welfare Officer, Comrade Tarikiye Angaye, alleged that it is on record that since the inception of the current administration, no single project has been undertaken in the university.

“The University, as you know, is best described as a TETFund University, as TETFund and other Federal interventions are the only means of physical and human infrastructural development. The evidence is glaring.

“Sadly,efforts are also being made to remove this only existing infrastructural and human resources development lifeline of the Niger Delta University,under the guise of distributing TETFund interventions to all the Universities in the State when it is clearly indicated in the TETFund guidelines that only two universities can be funded alternatively,” he stated.