By: Felix Ikpotor
Following complain by students over the non-resumption of academic activities in the University of Port Harcourt, management of the school says it is putting necessary measures in place to ensure a smooth take-off of academic activities.
Public Relations Officer of the school, Mr Sammy Kpenu disclosed this to journalists in Port Harcourt.
Kpenu said: “ the University of Port Harcourt is doing its best to ensure that we resume for academic programmes and to put the records straight, the National Universities Commission which is the supervisory body to the universities had earlier given out a template to universities and in that template are things provided for each universities and its only when you meet up those requirements that you can now decide on a date to resume for academic purposes and I want to assure you that we have put up a lot of measures to ensure that the university resumes for academic programmes”.
Similary, the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, UNIPORT Chapter said it is ready to return to work immediately the demands of the lecturers is granted by the Federal Government.
Chairman of ASUU in the school, Dr Austin Sado said the strike which has entered its six month would have been called-off had government shown any willingness to address issues that led to the industrial action.
“We are ready and as soon as they respond to the issues we will return to the classrooms. Many of the students are on our side saying enough of this deception. Government cannot sign agreement with the citizens and repudiate that. Government must be responsive and responsible. Even this moment, if we get consultation that government is willing, we are ever ready to return to the classroom”, he said.
He clarified that the strike by lecturers is not the reason the school has not open for academic activities, stressing that the management of the school was yet to engage the lecturers.
