ACTING President, Rupiah Banda, has paid tribute to the University of Zambia Lecturers and Researchers Union (UNZALARU) for calling off the strike and reassured that the Government will address their concerns.

Mr Banda further commended the University of Zambia (UNZA) management for re-opening the higher institution of learning to allow the students to continue with their studies.

Mr Banda told journalists on arrival from North-Western Province yesterday that the Government was committed to resolving the problems at the university.

He said it was in the country's interest that the students continued learning and the decision to call off the strike by lecturers and re-opening the university showed Government's commitment towards resolving the matter.

On Monday this week, UNZALARU members resolved to resume teaching after management and the university council assured them that the new collective agreement on improved conditions of service would be fully implemented.

UNZALARU general secretary, Fenson Mwape, said the lecturers and researchers met on Sunday and agreed to resume work immediately.

Dr Mwape said his members also took into consideration the fact that the students had returned to campus adding that it would not be in their interest to have them around without lectures.

Recently, Mr Banda ordered the UNZA senate to proceed with the re-opening of the university and that the conditions at UNZA were conducive for the re-opening of the institution.

On the tour of North-Western Province, Mr Banda said the trip was very fruitful and that it was likely that he would get many votes from there.

Mr Banda further said that contrary to negative reports following his tour of the province, he was happy with the response he received from there .

He said it was not good to take people for granted but he was sure that he would get a lot of votes from there.

"Contrary to negative reports following my tour to the province, I was well received and I am assured of victory, but it is not nice to take people for granted," he said.

Cabinet ministers, deputies, defence chiefs, senior Government officials and MMD officials welcomed Mr Banda, who arrived aboard a Zambia Air Force plane.