ASUU IMSU Strike: The Need to Consider the Present Reality.

By Nwakor Chidi Daniel (A concerned citizen). Dept
of Political Science, IMSU

Just recently, the IMSU SUG director of
Information, Comrade Chidi Onyeji released a
press to the general public informing them that
Imo state University chapter of the Academic
Staff union of Universities has embarked on an
indefinite strike in order to press home of their
demand for two months salaries owed to them by
the state government. It was also gathered from
the press release that the hundred level student's
first semester exams scheduled to commence
yesterday(21st March 2016) was also postponed indefinitely till further
notice. The SUG director of Information ended up
advising the year one students not to travel too
far because the strike is indefinite and might end
at "ANY" time.
Honestly, I am not in support of the government
owing her workers because I know that it is a
breach of Contract between the Government and
the striking lecturers. Every worker deserves his
or her pay at the end of the month.
However, even at recognizing the importance of
regular payment of salaries to lecturers I must
not fail to point out the implications of this
action by the lecturers to both the students
(especially the hundred level students that are not
too familiar with the School environments) and
the society at large. It is well acceptable that any
action taken which the costs and consequences
outweighs the benefits should not be taken at all.
I am of the opinion that our lecturers ought to
have exercised little patience so as to enable our
year one students finish their exams before the
strike action. This is in consideration of the
plights of these fresh students who are the
campus alone waiting for their exams while most
of the old students are at home due to vacation.
The lecturers ought to have tampered Justice
with mercy.
Advising the students not to go too far by the
SUG director of Information amount to an untold
danger before them. This "stay around" advice for
the year students exposes them to chances of
being attacked or harmed. They are at the
mercies of cultists, rapist (especially the girls)
and robbers.
Also, the impatient ones may decide to travel due
to the strike action and danger of being attacked.
This also present another problem of notifying
them of their exams if possible the strike end
soon due to defective means of disseminating
information in our society today. It is possible
that good numbers of them may miss the exams
as a result of the above. It is possible also that
this strike action may affect the academic level of
these students thereby resulting to poor
performance. This is a danger to the society.
To this extent, I therefore call on the Imo state
Government headed by our amiable Governor ,
Rochas Okorocha and the lecturers to
immediately find lasting solution to this lingering
issue before it get out of hand. It is my demand
for the government and our lecturers to negotiate
and come to the rescue of these students before
this week. I also urge the lecturers to please
reconsider or rescind their action in the interest of
our year one students. Thanks.