Unilag suspends screening, OAU shutdown

The management of the University of
Lagos has postponed the screening
exercise for prospective students .
This is as workers at the Obafemi
Awolowo University , Ile- Ife , have shut
down the institution.
They also paralysed activities in the
institution, ensuring that neither
academic nor administrative duties
were carried out.
According to a release by the UNILAG
management, the screening of
prospective students was suspended as
a result of the protest by non - academic
staff of the university.
It will be recalled that non - academic
staff across government - owned
universities in Nigeria are currently
on an indefinite strike over what they
termed “ disparity” in the sharing of
N23 bn earned allowance recently
released by the Federal Government to
university workers .
The UNILAG management , which
earlier asked all newly admitted
Unified Tertiary Matriculation
Examination undergraduate
candidates to converge on its
Multipurpose Hall A, said the
screening has been postponed
indefinitely.
The release said , “ The Management of
the University of Lagos wishes to
inform the general public that the
screening exercise of UTME candidates
admitted on merit , which commenced
on Monday , has been suspended
following the disruption of normal
academic and administrative activities
by the on - going industrial action .
“ The screening exercise earlier
scheduled for Monday to Friday has
been postponed till further notice .
New dates would be communicated
soon. All candidates are enjoined to
check the university website regularly
for continued updates . ”
On OAU campus , the workers blocked
all roads leading to the university, shut
the health centre and refused to
supply water and electricity .
Chairman of the Non - Academic Staff
Union of the OAU , Wole Odewunmi,
described the action of the FG as
“ ridiculous. ”
Also, Chairman of the Senior Staff
Association of Nigerian Universities,
Ademola Oketunde , said it was wrong
for the FG to undermine their
importance in the education sector.
He said , “ The strike is total,
comprehensive and indefinite . We are
fully involved . As I speak to you, the
university’s health centre , staff school ,
power house and other places have
been shut down .
“ Even the staff school examination will
be suspended till further notice. We
are also important people in the
system . ”
It was learnt that students and
lecturers of the OAU trekked long
distances to exit the university campus
when the effect of the shut down
worsened .