ASURI rejects ASUCA’s call for industrial action, removal of College of Agriculture provost
The Academic Staff Union of Research Institutes, ASURI, has criticised its counterpart, Academic Staff Union of Colleges of Agriculture, ASUCA, over alleged disruption of academic activities and a call for industrial action in Federal College of Agriculture, FCAI, Ishiagu, Ebonyi State. A statement titled, ‘Planned shutdown of Federal College of Agriculture, Ishiagu’ signed by Iwundu […] ASURI rejects ASUCA’s call for industrial action, removal of College of Agriculture provost
Black News 
The Academic Staff Union of Research Institutes, ASURI, has criticised its counterpart, Academic Staff Union of Colleges of Agriculture, ASUCA, over alleged disruption of academic activities and a call for industrial action in Federal College of Agriculture, FCAI, Ishiagu, Ebonyi State.
A statement titled, ‘Planned shutdown of Federal College of Agriculture, Ishiagu’ signed by Iwundu Kenneth Chigozie and Obulafor Obilor, Chairman and Secretary respectively of ASURI FCAI Chapter, accused ASUCA of attempting to frustrate the rights of those who do not belong to the union.
According to ASURI since the appointment of the substantive Provost of the Federal College of Agriculture Ishiagu, Professor Agwu Ekwe Agwu, ASUCA has continued to mount protests and agitations against the said appointment, noting that ASUCA members cannot suppress ASURI.
Parts of the statement read, “This stand orchestrated by the self-styled ASUCA leadership both in wit and will sends home an odoriferous pollution of the system where our stakes all stand immutable.
“Today, this craving for an internal leader which seemed to have eluded the overriding component interests of the said union has in a stench disorder disrupted academic activities to the extent that a new academic session that began since the year has not had its matriculation while sister institutions are about concluding their first semester examinations.
“The fate of the students we serve has been flagrantly suppressed while we seethe at the horn of a dilemma through the seemingly sustainable selfish industrial struggles of a union.”
ASURI further frowned at the attempt by ASUCA to suppress other unions in FCAI, saying its existence in the institution cannot be taken for granted.
“If the Rule of Law must prevail, then no one person or group of persons, union or group of unions has the inalienable right to lord anything over the other.
“ASURI therefore relishes on a free, fair, honest and secure work environment where our rights and privileges are protected and guaranteed under the ambit of the law. Prof Agwu E Agwu is our Provost and has come to stay and serve,” the statement added.
ASURI, reiterated that it cannot bow to ASUCA, insisting ASUCA cannot stop others from doing their jobs.
It stressed that if ASUCA must go on strike, let it be limited to their members alone.
Lending his voice, the Public Relations Officer, PRO, of the Federal College of Agriculture, Ishiagu, Dr Chris Nweke, recalled that last week, he gathered that ASUCA members wanted to organise a nationwide strike involving all the colleges of agriculture and other sister institutions.
He however faulted the call for the removal of the provost, Professor Agwu Ekwe Agwu.
He said, “Last week, we got a piece of information that the ASUCA members want to organise nationwide strike, which will involve all the colleges of agriculture and all the sister institutions, and the federal college of Agriculture, Ishiagu, here inclusive.
“We tried to know all of those things and they said they are some conditions that the Federal Government is expected to fulfill.
“One of the information was the attempt to remove Provost. But we let them know that it is not part of the issue. As the College Public Relations Officer (PRO), I tried to let them know that we agreed that they were some conditions that the Federal Government was supposed to meet, but that of the removal of the Provost is out of it. That is not the main point.
“They said they were two provosts; the whole world knew we have only one provost, that is Professor Agwu Ekwe Agwu,” he said.
Efforts to reach ASUCA for reaction were unsuccessful as at the time of filing this report.
ASURI rejects ASUCA’s call for industrial action, removal of College of Agriculture provost
