Both Senior Staff Union of Universities (SSANU) and Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU)University of Ibadan on Monday debunked claim to embark on an indefinite strike over Federal Government's money.

When CEOAFRICA visited the institution, members of both unions were found at their duty posts. It was reported by the yesterday edition of one of the national dailies that the two unions would embark on strike while the Vice-Chancellor, Isaac Folorunso Adewole would be held hostage over non disbursement of the Earned Allowance of N2.1bn released to the institution.

Reacting to the report described as jaundiced, the two chairmen of the unions, Wale Akinremi (SSANU) and Olusola Cole Fatoki (NASU) disclosed that at no point did the two unions take such a decision. Akinremi explained that the two unions last Thursday held a joint congress and the purpose was to sensitize their members on the disbursement of the allowance in such a way that no union or individual member within the system would be short-changed.

Lamenting that the report was a calculated attempt on the part of the sponsors to cause disaffection between the unions and the university management, he insisted that no threat of strike was issued and nobody ever threatened to hold anybody hostage. Akinremi maintained that since the coming into office of the present VC about three years ago, he had not done anything to warrant such thing as holding him hostage, rather, he had been at the vanguard of fighting for the welfare of workers.

He noted that the age of unionism nowadays “is about logical engagement with

presentation of facts and showing understanding on the part of both management and workers”, adding, “why do we go on strike or hold the VC hostage? The situation has not degenerated to that point and I pray it will not”.

Speaking in the same vein, the NASU boss said the report was just the imagination of the writer and it was nothing but a facade, saying, “that we are debunking it is not act of cowardice, but, it was never discussed at our congress and if there is any need to go on strike, we will not hesitate.