Some transporters, traders and others who
provide services on university campuses have
lamented the negative impact of the strike
embarked on by the Academic Staff Union of
Universities three months ago.
They said the strike was not favourable to their
businesses, adding that the strike had reduced
their sales and income.
Our correspondent, who visited the Obafemi
Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State,
University of Lagos, Lagos State, and the
Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ogun State,
observed that activities in the universities had
been paralysed.
Shops, where photocopies and printing works
were made, were closed. Few shops that were
open operated their services at a high cost.
When our correspondent visited OAU on
Friday, it was gathered that traders at the
Awolowo, Angola, Moremi and Mozambique
Halls of the university had not been opening
for business since the strike started.
A motorist, identified simply as Baba Gbayi,
told our correspondent that some of them
were forced to stop operating few weeks after
the strike began because of low patronage.
He said, “This strike period is tough for us.
Most people who own buses are no longer
coming. Only those of us that got our buses on
hire purchase are forced to come to work
because we have to complete our payment.
There is nothing more killing than this strike
because since it has started we no longer see
passengers as before.”
Another motorist, Chinedu Akpan, said even
the few students on the campus were not
willing to board commercial buses because
they lacked cash.
Akpan said, “I am praying that the strike ends
soon. I have three children and two of my
siblings are also living with me. We have been
struggling to eat. By the time schools resume
from holidays, it will be worse. My prayer is
that the strike would be called off before they
resume.
“Another thing is that the students are also
broke so they prefer to trek. Some of them will
even be negotiating the transport fare because
they know that we have no choice.”
A trader, identified simply as Iya Sanjo, said,
“You can see that none of us opened. The strike
is really disastrous as the school management
has sent some of the students home. If we
must open, we have to use the generator
which is more expensive especially when
customers are not many.”
At UNILAG, traders at the car park opposite
the Mass Communication Department and Jaja
Hall opened shops but lamented losses.
A motorist, who drives UNILAG shuttle bus,
described the strike as a punishment for the
operators.
“I urge the Federal Government and ASUU to
meet and find a lasting solution to this strike.
They are only punishing us because they
collect their salaries while we cannot live
without our daily earnings. Now that there are
no passengers, how do they want us to
survive? The Federal Government and ASUU
should reach a compromise,” he said.
A trader, who preferred anonymity, expressed
dissatisfaction with the Federal Government
and ASUU, saying, “They have kept us in an
unfavourable condition while they continue
with their lives. I have to open partially so that
the perishable goods in my shop won’t get
spoilt. We sell at low prices, yet there is low
patronage.”
The situation at the OOU was not different
from that of OAU and UNILAG. But the fate of
the service providers was made more
precarious because there are no students’
hostels at OOU.
Some food sellers at the university’s
permanent site in Ago Iwoye told our
correspondent that they currently operate
skeletal services to cater for few students and
other people who strayed into the campus to
check what was happening.
One of them, Mrs. Nonye Sunday, said, “It is
obvious that the strike is not doing us any
good. Of course, the non-academic staff are
around, but because of this strike, students no
longer come like before. Even the workers that
are in school leave early and many of them do
not eat our food.”
A mechanic in the university town, Taiwo
Mecho, said the students formed the bulk of
his patrons, “and since their lecturers are on
srike, we no longer see them.”
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