ASUU STRIKE, GHANA HANDS DELAY WAUG

ASUU STRIKE, GHANA HANDS DELAY WAUG







The 13 th West African University Games (WAUG) earlier billed for this month at the University Ilorin (UNILORIN) has been postponed till March. The postponement followed the outgoing Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike and 22 nd Ghana Universities Sports Association (GUSA) Games also holding this month in Kumasi. UNILORIN management, staff and student unions and WAUG Local Organising Committee agreed to the postponement after a meeting. They noted that the 12 th WAUG was hosted by the University of Ghana in March 2008. UNILORIN Vice-Chancellor, Prof Is-haq Oloyede, buttressed the need for the participation of Ghana, saying WAUG was started by Nigeria and Ghana, through the universities of Ibadan and Ghana. Other West African universities later joined the games. Oloyede said since most other West African countries have one or two universities each, the non-participation of Ghana, which has several, will make the Games look like an expanded Nigeria University Games (NUGA). The Executive Council of WAUG will consider the proposed date of March 27 to April 7 at its meeting holding inUNILORIN this week.
At the stakeholders meeting where the threats were identified, the UNILORIN Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Management Services), Prof. Albert Olayemi, who is also the Chairman, WAUG LOC, said almost all infrastructural and logistic facilities are in place for a successful competition.
He said another modern pavilion hasbeen constructed while the old one has been upgraded at the university stadium. He added that work was almost complete on the eight-lane tartan track and some other indoor and outdoor sporting facilities.
Olayemi said many sub-committees were working to ensure the success of the various components of the Games. The sub-committees, according to him, include Ceremonials and Protocol, Medical, Accommodation, Accreditation, Documentation, Publicity, Environmental Health, WAUG Forum, Feeding, Technical, Transport, Facilities, Security and Immigration.
Oloyede applauded members of the WAUG LOC for their efforts, especiallyas hosting WAUG has given the university an opportunity to develop its sporting infrastructure. He thanked the Kwara State Government for granting UNILORIN the use of facilities at the Kwara State Stadium.