Federal University of Technology, Owerri, FUTO has sacked its entire teaching staff for non-compliance of federal government directive to resume lectures before Wednesday 5th December (today).
This is also as some varsities, yesterday responded by returning to classes ahead of the resumption order.
As at press time yesterday, some universities including the University of Calabar, University of Benin, University of Abuja and Ebonyi State University had resumed.
The termination of the employment of lecturers of FUTO was confirmed by Mr. Chike Ezenwa, Public Relations Officers, PRO of the institution.
According to him, the senate of the university had declared all the positions of academic staff in the institution vacant, adding that they would be advertised subsequently.
Part of the directive read: “The senate of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri at its 375th extraordinary meeting held on Monday, December 2, 2013 considered the directive of the Federal Government on resumption of duty by academic staff in Federal Universities and decided that academic activities in the university should resume immediately for the conclusion of the 2012/2013 Rain Semester.
“Consequently, all students of the University are required to return to campus between Monday December 2, and Friday December 8, 2013 while Rain Semester Examinations would commence on Monday December 9, 2013 and end on Saturday December 21, 2013.
“Accordingly, all academic staff are required to proceed immediately to their respective Departments to sign in for resumption of duty not later than Wednesday December 4, 2013.”
Similarly, academic activities have resumed at Ebonyi State University, EBSU, Abakaliki.
Our Correspondent, who visited the university yesterday, observed that lectures were going on in virtually all departments at the three campuses of the institution.
At the College of Agricultural Sciences, students were seen receiving lectures while others were either loitering or discussing in groups.
At the Department of Animal Sciences and Law Faculty, students who spoke to NAN affirmed that they received lectures in the morning.
“We have started lectures since last week, even now we just received lectures but I don’t know about other departments,” Okechukwu Mbam, a second year agric science student said.
A Senior Lecturer in the Department of English, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that lectures commenced last week at the institution, adding that students were gradually returning.
The Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Francis Idike, had explained that the resumption of academic activities was in the interest of both students and staff of the institution.
Meanwhile, in Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, LAUTECH, Ogbomoso, ASUU leadership and their non-academic counterpart, NASU are trading words over the strike.
While NASU wants the institution to resume normal academic activities, ASUU is adamant. The local NASU has critisised ASUU of insensitivity, saying they are wasting their time and that of students.