ASUU STRIKE: Business owners count losses, as group appeals to ASUU, FG

By The Citizen

The current indefinite industrial action embarked by Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has started taking its toll on persons that carry out their legitimate businesses in and around university campuses in Imo State.

Vanguard investigations in Federal University of Technology, Owerri and Imo State University, Owerri, revealed that most proprietors of the businesses have either closed shop or downsized their workforce, following their sagging income.

As at the last count, hair dressing salons, computer operators, recharge card hawkers, stationery dealers, restaurant owners and others are counting their losses as a result of non-patronage from mainly students.

Meanwhile, the national leadership of ASUU and the Federal Government have been urged to consider the plight of Nigerian undergraduates and allow immediate resumption of studies in their various institutions.

Members of the University of Jos Alumni Association, UJAA, South East Zone, made the passionate appeal in a communique issued at the end of their quarterly meeting and signed by the Zonal Coordinator, Sir Ned Ulelu.

'We passionately appeal to the national leadership of ASUU and the Federal Government to come to terms and end the current industrial action that has truncated academic activities in the nation's universities for several weeks', UJAA pleaded.