Njala University, 4th September, 2020— The Academic Staff Association (ASA) of Njala University has on Wednesday 2nd September, 2020 suspended their industrial strike action announced on the 21st August, 2020 after a meeting with their plenary at Towama, Bo Campus.
A release from the Association earlier on Wednesday noted that ASA is suspending the strike action till the end of the Second Semester, December 2020 so as to give the Administration ample time to address the eleven points raised in their press release.
The release states that ASA will revoke the strike action after a day’s notice at the beginning of next academic year if the University authorities fail to address their demands.
The Academic Staff Association down their tools a week ago amidst concerns around payment of the annual leave allowance, payment of benefits to retirees and deceased colleagues, honouring emoluments due newly promoted staff, review of the Conditions of Services which has stalled for a number of years and general working conditions were some of the reasons advanced by the Association for the industrial strike action.
The release further states that they will only resume normal services to the University if they have audience with President Bio.
The Acting Vice Chancellor and Principal, Mallam .O. succeeded in deferring the strike action planned for Monday 24thAugust,2020 which coincidentally was the start of the Final year Comprehensive Examinations with a view to get ASA meet the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education to start the necessary dialogue.
On Friday 28th August,2020 ASA met with officials of the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education alongside the University Administration in Freetown and a number of resolutions were agreed upon including the possibility of subsuming the concerns of ASA into a bail out for the attention of the Government of Sierra Leone.
The Acting Vice Chancellor and Principal, the Deputy Vice Chancellors for Njala and Bo Campuses and his entire Administration were pleased with the suspension of the strike as this will pave the way for the final Year Examinations and other university functions to continue.
For more enquiries contact the Public Relations Office, Njala University/+23276336213/+23276245292/Email:akoroma1@njala.edu.sl /rssesay@njala.edu.sl
