There is brewing tension at the Benue State University, (BSU) Makurdi following the demand by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) for the sack of the institution’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Tor Iorapuu.
Newsquest reliably learnt that the Union has already embarked on an industrial action, downing tools to press home their demands, some of which have been faulted by stakeholders in the State’s education sector.
A few stakeholders have criticised ASUU as having no such powers and rights to demand for the outright sack of a sitting vice chancellor
Our correspondent gathered that the on-going strike has nothing to do with the welfare of workers, which is the priority of many similar unions in the university system.
Credible records indicate that the Benue State University leadership is up to date with payment of salaries and earned allowances of all the workers.
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According to sources, students of the university are already planning to stage a mega protest in Makurdi, the state capital over the prolonged strike which started just as examinations were about to commence.
The on-going strike according to sources is not connected with the welfare of members as is usually the case, but about personal issues being advanced by those who were said to have lost out in their pursuit for the vice chancellorship position
Newsquest also gathered that the reforms introduced by Professor Iorapuu against the old order of financial management is one of the issues most staff at the management level are not comfortable with, hence the lingering crises
A meeting convened at the instance of the secretary to the state government, SSG Professor Joseph Alkali last week ended in deadlock as the issues presented before the government by the union members were said to be personal.
“For instance, when the SSG asked them to explain their grievances, instead of talking about issues of official concern or welfare, they were demanding for the removal of the vice chancellor for the simple reason that he was brought from outside to head the university
“The SSG who also came from the university became furious and called off the meeting since there was no subsatnce in the Union member’s presentation” said a source who was in the meeting
Apart from the clamour for leadership and reforms responsible for the lingering crises in the university,the delay and interference with students results which the Vice Chancellor has being against, coupled with academic sterility of some lecturers and the need for staff audit are some of the reasons for the strike
