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Tag: Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU)

  • NANS urges FG to intervene in ASUU strike

    NANS urges FG to intervene in ASUU strike

    The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has called on the Federal Government to look into the plight of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to avert the indefinite strike.

    Mr Chinonso Obasi, National President, NANS made the call in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja on Monday.

    “It is with deep pain and regret that NANS received the news of another indefinite strike by ASUU over the Federal Government’s indifference to their plight.

    “Nigerian students sees the break down in negotiations as a further proof that political leaders don’t care about their future.

    “Consequently, we wish to call on the Federal Government to do all it can to get ASUU back to the classrooms.

    “The demands of ASUU are reasonable and touch on the integrity of government, especially in the light of the fight against corruption,” he said.

    According to him, NANS finds it hard to believe that past governments would fail to honour agreements with members of ASUU for more than seven years.

    Obasi, however, said the association in the light of the foregoing gave the Federal Government 21 days to resolve outstanding issues with ASUU in the interest of longsuffering Nigerian students.

    He explained that the students would be forced to bear the brunt of the break down in the negotiation between the union and the government.

    He added that NANS would be meeting in the coming week with leaders of ASUU to find out their irreducible minimum in their demands.

    He threatened  that if by the expiration of 21days ultimatum, the issue was not resolved, Nigerian students would be forced to ground activities in the country.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that ASUU on Monday officially announced the commencement of its nationwide industrial actions at a news conference held in Abuja.

  • ASUU faults Bello over proscription of Kogi varsity branch

    ASUU faults Bello over proscription of Kogi varsity branch

    The Calabar Zone of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), has blasted the Kogi State Governor, Mr Yahaya Bello, on his order to proscribe of the Kogi State University (KSU) Branch of the union.

    Bello had on July 19, reportedly banned the activities of the ASUU-KSU branch, saying he was forced to take the decision following the refusal of the lecturers to call off six months old strike.

    A statement signed by chairpersons of ASUU in the Zone, Dr Tony Eyang, University of Calabar; Dr Aniekan Brown, University of Uyo; Dr Emmanuel Ettah, Cross River University of Technology; Arch Ochi Ejimofor, Abia State University; Dr Imeh Okop, Akwa Ibom State University; Dr Basil Onwe, Ebonyi State University; Dr Ogugua Egwu, Federal University Ndufu Alike Ikwo; and Prof Nsing Ogar, the Zonal Coordinator described Bello’s action as ridiculous and a national embarrassment.

    The statement presented by Dr Eyang to reporters at the ASUU Secretariat, University of Calabar, Monday read, “It has become pertinent to address you on the purported proscription of ASUU Kogi State University (KSU) Branch by Governor Yahaya Bello on19th July 2017, an action that is ridiculous and a national embarrassment. As you are aware, the academic staff of that university after a painfully long period of time without being paid their salaries and entitlements and without any reasonable response from the State Government and University Administration to address the issues, decided within the rules of engagement to embark on a struggle to enforce their fundamental rights. To the shock of the nation, the Governor’s reaction to the crisis was to issue threats and adopt scorch-earth tactics, including the laughable purported proscription of the activities of that branch of ASUU.

    “The expectation had been that the State Government would meaningfully engage the striking lecturers, who have been demoralized and economically harassed, with a view to addressing the sticking issues.

    Instead of this, Governor Yahaya Bello flew off the handle into a whim of dictatorial absurdity by branding the lecturers as criminals and attempting to stop them from exercising their fundamental right of lawful assembly.

    “By purportedly banning ASUU KSU activities, Governor Bello has exposed his lack of understanding of the constitutionality of union matters in Nigeria, which belong to the Exclusive Legislative List. The governor has also shown his ignorance of the fact that he has neither the locus nor the powers to ban a duly registered union or a part of it and its activities.

    “In fact, the so-called proscription of ASUU KSU is an act of dictatorship that is highly regrettable, in view of the governor’s supposed role as the custodian of the constitution in the state. It is a painful irony that a beneficiary of a democratic system, Yahaya Bello, would be the one to take such a tyrannical posture reminiscent of military dictatorship. It need not be touted how ASUU confronted and wrestled the ogres of dictatorship and terror before, armed with its principles and undying vision for a better country.  He should urgently be reminded that his palm kernel was cracked for him by benevolent spirits, and he must not forget to be humble (as Chinua Achebe would admonish).

    “Equally disturbing is the uncritical reception of the purported ban on

    ASUU KSU by the authorities of the institution, who should have been more knowledgeable, reflective and useful in advising and guiding the errant Governor. This is a sad revelation of both the lack of depth and courage in the managers of the University and their poor appreciation of the many sacrifices and contributions of ASUU not only to the development of KSU but also education in Nigeria as a whole.

    “The Calabar Zone of ASUU joins the entire Union and well-meaning

    Nigerians to categorically condemn the scorch-earth tactics of

    Governor Bello and the Administration of KSU, and urges them to constructively engage the lecturers with a view to addressing their unpaid entitlements – salaries and allowances. This will be helpful to all parties, especially the students who clearly understand that the morale of a teacher is low when his entitlements are unpaid.

    “Finally, ASUU is resolved to protect the fundamental rights of its members; and as history has proved, the Union cannot be defeated while fighting a just cause. Governor Bello must mellow and quickly come into the awareness that the academics in KSU are not his slaves, and will never be. Let him retrace his steps and embrace dialogue.”

    Eyang said if Bello refuses to retrace his steps, ASUU “will explore a number of options available” to them to address the situation.

     

  • ASUU to governors: Utilise Paris club fund to pay salary arrears

    ASUU to governors: Utilise Paris club fund to pay salary arrears

    The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Ladoke Akintola University Chapter has appealed to the Governors of Oyo and Osun States to utilise the newly released tranche of Paris club to off-set salaries of workers and pensioners in the Institution.

    It is also asked Governors Abiola Ajimobi and Rauf Aregbesola to use the opportunity granted by the Paris fund to relief the perennial funding problems that has brought LAUTECH to its knees.

    In a release signed by LAUTECH ASUU Chairman and Secretary, Dr Biodun Olaniran and Dr Toyin Abegunrin respectively asked the two governors to overlook whatever imagined sins must have been committed by some staff members to warrant what they called “horrendous suffering unleashed on the system”

    The Union leaders maintained the two governors should show the milk of human kindness in them to assist the plight of over 30,000 students who are wasting away the good part of their youthful energies at home.

    According to them, the governors should act in the interest of utmost public good by using the opportunity of this windfall to honestly sit down and address the LAUTECH matter

    ASUU said ” Our attention has been drawn to the release of another tranche of Paris Club Refund by the Federal Government to the states. This is done with an express advice to state governments to use the fund for settlement of indebtedness to workers and pensioners. It is in this connection that our Union uses this medium to appeal to the governors of Oyo and Osun states to use the opportunity of this financial relief to solve the perennial funding problems that has brought LAUTECH to its knees.”

    The union further reminded the governors to use public resources which they manage on behalf of the people to service public interests by funding the university properly.

    “The governors are called upon to overlook whatever “imagined sins” must have been committed by some staff members to warrant this horrendous suffering unleashed on the system. They should use the milk of human kindness in them to pity the plight of the over 30,000 students who are wasting away the good part of their youthful energies at home. The University is a public institution ministering to the educational needs of the mass of poor citizen of the states,” the union added.

    The governors are also reminded that they are holding those offices by the grace of the people to whom those positions rightly belong, stating that using resources at the disposal of the state to service public interests like funding the University properly is part of the mandate and pact signed with the people.

  • Proposed varsity fees: NANS call for education subsidy

    Proposed varsity fees: NANS call for education subsidy

    The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) will resist plans by some tertiary institutions to increase tuition fees, its President, Mr Chinonso Obasi has said.
    Obasi, in a statement he issued on Wednesday in Abuja, said that NANS had received the report that no fewer than 38 tertiary institutions had concluded plans to jack up tuition fees.
    The NANS president said that the association was pained by the move as Nigerian students had over the years been made to bear the brunt of administrative ineptitude of managers of tertiary institutions.
    The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) had on Monday alerted Nigerians to the increase of tuition fees by 38 universities due to poor funding by the federal and state governments.
    “In saner climes, education funding includes revenue from researches and consultative collaborations.
    “Implementat0ion of UNESCO strategies, particularly commercialising research findings should occupy Nigeria educational institutions rather than constant hike in tuition fees payable by hapless students.
    “However NANS believes that the planned hike in tuition fees would be the last straw that would break the cycle of obnoxious levy on learning and pursuit of education.’’
    He regretted that the APC-led administration had not showed enough commitment to improving the education sector and the plight of students.
    Obasi said that the students were made to study under poor conditions in spite their positive contributions to the success of the administration’s key policies and programmes, such as the fight against corruption, maintenance of peace and unity of the country.
    He said that Nigerian students did not deserve such harsh punishment as fee increase would further limit the capacity of students to dream of a better future.
    “Consequently NANS wishes to serve notice to the authorities concerned that Nigerian students will never endure any increase in tuition at this time of the nation’s socio-economic challenges.
    “If administrators of Nigeria’s educational institutions have run out of ideas of funding and sustaining educational institutions in the country, they should feel free to liaise with students to explore new ways of funding the institutions.
    “While we express our readiness to dialogue with chief executives of tertiary institutions, NANS wishes to reiterate the fact that Nigerian students have been patient with the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.
    “The President Buhari administration should recognise that this is time to reward the understanding and cooperation of Nigerian students with education subsidy, proper funding of education and adequate welfare initiatives for students,’’ he said.
    Obasi called on well-meaning individuals and stakeholders to hasten and find lasting solutions to the deplorable condition of the education sector in the country.

  • ASUU calls for more help for IDPs in North East

    ASUU calls for more help for IDPs in North East

    The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Tuesday appealed to Nigerians to help donate food items toward the survival of the many Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the North East.

    The ASUU National President, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, made the appeal while presenting food items donated by the Bayero University Kano (BUK) chapter of union to Gov. Kashim Shettima for the Borno IDPs at the Government House in Maiduguri.

    The items donated included bags of rice, millet, sugar, spaghetti, cooking oil, among others.

    Ogunyemi said that the gesture was aimed at addressing food problems among the IDPs.

    He said that the union was touched by the conditions of the IDPs who had lost almost everything in life.

    “We in ASUU feel for our people and we are sincerely concerned on what is happening in terms of survival level of Nigerians today.

    “The ordinary people are finding it difficult to earn a living, talk less of our compatriots in the IDP camps,’’ he said.

    “In view of that, we have encouraged our members all over the country to start thinking of a way to intervene in order to bring relief to the IDPs.

    “What we are witnessing today is like a start off of the programme, one of our branches have started and I want to assure you that other branches will pick up too.’’

    Ogunyemi urged Nigerians, especially wealthy individuals and philanthropists to also mobilise resources toward helping the IDPs.

    Receiving the items, Shettima, who was represented by the Borno Head of Service, Alhaji Bukar Yakubu, thanked the union for the gesture and urged others to emulate them.

    The ASUU team was also at the Goni Kachallari IDP camp in Maiduguri where it distributed the items among displaced persons.

    Speaking at the ceremony, the ASUU, BUK Chairman, Dr Ibrahim Barde said that the items were purchased from monthly donations by members of the union.

    “We decided to tax our members through a monthly contribution. Today, we have been able to raise enough to buy these food items,’’ Barde said.

    He said that the object was to alleviate the suffering of the IDPs and expressed hope that the intervention would help alleviate the sufferings of the people in no small measures.

    “We hope to ginger others not only from the North but from the entire country to help,’’ Barde said.

    Barde said that the donation had also shown that ASUU had a human face.

    “ASUU is an association of intellectuals and most people used to see us as an association always fighting government.

    “This is to show that ASUU has a human face,’’ Barde said.

  • FUTA in joyful mood as Minister suspends VC, Registrar

    FUTA in joyful mood as Minister suspends VC, Registrar

    There was spontaneous reaction yesterday over the suspension of the embattled Vice Chancellor (VC), Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) Prof. Adebiyi Daramola by the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu.

    It was a moment of joy as FUTA campus was thrown into ecstasy with workers exchanging pleasantries on the development.

    Prof Daramola was suspended alongside the Registrar, Mrs Modupe Ajayi.

    The chairman of the Joint Action Committee JAC of the University and Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities SSANU ‎Dele Durojaiye confirmed the suspension of the duo by the minister.

    Durojaiye, however, said details of their suspension had not been communicated to them.

    The VC and the Bursar, Emmanuel Oresegun have been dragged to court by the EFCC over alleged mismanagement of the institution funds.

    They ‎were granted bail by the Akure High Court.The reason why the Registrar was suspended and not the bursar ‎with the VC remained unclear yesterday.

    The Registrar is the Secretary of the University council and her five-year tenure was to lapse on May 31 before the ministers axe on Thursday.

    Spokesman of the University Adebanjo Adegbenro said he has no ‎information to the effect that the two principal officers of the university have been suspended by the Minister for Education.

    The Non- Teaching Staff Unions of the University called off their seven-month old industrial action on Tuesday.

    The unions went on strike to protest the refusal of the federal government to sack of the  Prof  Daramola despite his case with EFCC.

    ‎They have since vowed not to resume work until he steps aside to clear himself of the allegations of mismanagement of the institution funds by the EFCC.

    Besides, the leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU‎) ‎of the university insisted that the tenure of the embattled Vice Chancellor had lapsed‎.

    However, the chairman of the Joint Action congress (JAC) of the institution, Dele Durojaiye acting on a verdict of the Industrial Court recalled the workers back to work.

    According to Durojaye, the court had given an order that the striking workers should resume work within 24 hours.

    He said the court equally‎ ordered the university Management to pay all outstanding salaries within 24 hours and that those whose appointments were terminated be reinstated forthwith.

    Durojaiye in a directive to the union members urged members to resume work while they await the university to pay our salaries

    On the tenure of the Vice Chancellor, the leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU‎) of the institution insisted that his tenure had since lapsed on May 9th and not may 23 this year as announced by the university Management.

    In a letter forwarded to the VC, the union leader ‎said that his five-year single tenure ought to have lapsed on May 9.

    They said‎“ Prof. Daramola “assumed office on the 10th May 2012; and as such his tenure should end on 9th May 2017.

    The institution Registrar, Mrs Modupe Ajayi said the tenure of Prof Daramola ends on May 23, this year.

    According to her, “While the Vice-Chancellor appreciates the concern of ASUU-FUTA leadership on this matter and has responded to provide the required information, it is considered expedient to bring this to the public domain and in particular to the members of the university community that the information making the rounds in some quarters within the campus that the Vice Chancellor, Prof Daramola, assumed office on the 10th May 2012; and as such his tenure should end on 9th May 2017 is absolutely incorrect.

    “For the avoidance of doubt, this is to inform all members of staff, students and the entire members of the University Community that the Vice Chancellor, Prof Daramola assumed office on the 24th May 2012, the same day his inauguration took place.This implies that his five-year tenure will come to an end on 23rd May 2017“.

    The University Management appealed to all staff, students and the entire members of the University Community to discountenance and ignore any action being orchestrated to cause a breach of peace and stability on the campus.

  • ASUU demands transfer of Edo CP

     

     

    The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma chapter, has called on the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to immediately transfer the Edo State Commissioner of Police, Haliru Gwandu.

    It said Edo State deserves a patriotic, resourceful and efficient policeman to lead the Nigerian Police Force in the state.

    ASUU also called on the IG to commence investigation of Gwandu and his activities in the state.

    The current face off between the Police Commissioner and authorities of AAU is coming after the dean, Faculty of Law, Professor Sunday Edeko, accused the police of illegal detention after brutalizing him with cutlasses and hammer.

    Gwandu who described Prof. Edeko’s allegation as tissues of lies announced the arrest of a Professor in the university for illegal possession of firearms.

    Chairman of the ASUU, AAU chapter, Dr. Monday Igbafen who spoke at a press briefing at Ekpoma yesterday accused the police Commissioner of blackmailing the university instead of investigating activities of his anti-cultism unit.

    Dr. Igbafen said investigation showed that one Dr. Oboh in the Department of Public Administration was arrested in February and later released without the police making a formal report to the university management.

    Igbafen wondered why the CP would use the arrest of a lecturer arrested in February to blackmail the university over an issue that happened in March.

    He challenged the CP to show the world the site where 14 dead bodies were recovered in Ekpoma.

    His words, “As a union, our members used to take Police briefing as a serious business. But from this Gwandu macabre dance, we know better and have resolved to take any briefing by the police with a pinch of salt.

    “Gwandu’ story is not only spurious and unfounded but a calculated attempt to bring our university to public odium. It is a clever attempt to cover up a lingering case of unwarranted arrest and unjustifiable brutalizations Prof. Edeko.”

  • Adequate funding, solution to falling education standard – ex-ASUU president

    A former National President, Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Dr Dipo Fashina, says adequate funding remains the solution to falling education standard in Nigerian universities.

    Fashina stated this in a lecture entitled ‘Tertiary Education in Nigeria: Funding and Academic Standard’ he delivered at the 8th Convocation lecture series of Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu University, Igbariam, Anambra State on Thursday.

    He noted that the present crisis in the system started with the introduction of an “individualistic socio-philosophical idealism” which harped on the privatization of the education sector.

    According to him, the World Bank’s Structural Adjustment Programme treated the education sector in Nigeria as a market.

    “The promotion of private universities had led to the abandonment of hostel projects, road network, accommodation, electricity and water projects in public universities.

    “The Nigerian University system is sick; many of these universities are worse than others.”

    The former ASUU president noted that the problem of funding had been politicised, adding that the lack of allocation for capital development had adversely affected many public universities.

    He cited Ebonyi State University, Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu University, Igbariam and Enugu State University of Technology as examples.

    “For instance, no capital allocation was released to Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu University, Igbariam, from 2012 to 2016 and Enugu State University of Technology from 2012 to 2015.

    “You do not develop a university by only paying workers but by releasing allocations for projects.

    “The funding of state universities is useless and those in position to advice the politicians have failed to call them to order.”

    While noting that researches in universities had dropped with emphasis on text book knowledge, Fashina said it was the task of students and lecturers to prevail on political leaders to fund research projects.

    In a remark, the Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Fidelis Okafor, commended Fashina for delivering the lecture.

    Okafor expressed the hope that the lecture would give advantage to university administration in the country.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the convocation proper will hold on Friday at the Igbariam campus, where Chief Jim Nwobodo, Prof. Kingsley Muoghalu and Mr Chike Onyejekwe will receive honorary degrees.

     

  • ASUU to NASS: Address funding issue for varsities

    ASUU to NASS: Address funding issue for varsities

    The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has called on the National Assembly to address the issue of low funding of the education sector in the country.

    The ASUU President, Prof Biodun Ogunyemi made the call on Wednesday while answering questions from newsmen after the inauguration of a new secretariat constructed by the ASUU chapter of Kano State University of Science and Technology, Wudil.

    NAN reports that the new ASUU secretariat was named after Nasir Hussein, a founding member of the union in the university.

    Ogunyemi said the union was not happy with the allocations to the sector in the last three years and said that the National Assembly must change the narrative.

    “In this year’s budget 6.1 per cent was allocated, last year it was eight per cent and we rejected it and the year before was 11 per cent.

    “So the allocation to the education sector has been on the decline and what we are saying is that we will no longer take it.

    “We went to the National Assembly during the budget defence and argued our case,” the ASUU president said.

    He expressed hope that the lawmakers would do something urgently to address the issue, to enable Nigerian universities have the necessary facilities for uninterrupted academic activities and be able to compete with other universities across the world.

    “We hope the National Assembly will address the issue of funding and address other problems bedeviling the universities in the country.

    “We have always been engaging government on what they need to do to make our universities globally competitive to attract and retain the best academics.”

    According to him, the union is also working to promote policies that would address the welfare of its members as well as improve the quality of lives of Nigerians.

    Ogunyemi also commented on salary shortfalls in some universities, saying that the union would no longer tolerate such.

    “We have written to the government. We met at Yola last week and we put it on the table that as from the end of March, we will no longer accept any reduction in what is due to our members as their entitlements.”

    He added that ASUU would continue to concsientise Nigerians to identify people with the capacity to provide the best leadership in the country.

     

  • ASUU commences one-week warning strike in UI

    ASUU commences one-week warning strike in UI

    The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Ibadan (UI) Chapter, has declared a one-week warning strike over illegal pension deductions, fractional salary payments and non-payment of supervision allowance.

    The decision was taken on Tuesday at a congress convened by the union and presided over by its Chairman, Dr Deji Omole.

    The report says members also complained over excessive deductions in their March salaries.

    The management of the university was also alleged to have failed to declare the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) profile of the university.

    According to Omole, the warning strike is, therefore, to compel the university administration to address the issues which ASUU said bordered on the welfare of her members who are being owed since 2010.

    “The congress of ASUU, UNIBADAN, at its meeting of 4th April, 2017, having received permission from the national body of the union, hereby, declare a one-week warning strike.

    “The warning strike will commence from 12:01 midnight of Tuesday, 4th April, to 12:00 midnight of Tuesday, 11th April, 2017.

    “The congress of the union maintains that the failure of the university administration to satisfactorily resolve all the issues, will force the union to proceed on a comprehensive and total strike,” said Omole.

    The congress, which was well attended, was also addressed by the national delegates of ASUU, which included Professors Mahmood Lawan, from Kano; Tony Monye-Emina, from Benin and Bebe Sese, from Port Harcourt.

    The union had in a congress resolution in March warned the university management to address its grievances, bordering on reversal of illicit deductions and non-payment of promotion arrears.

    The three non-academic staff unions of the institution had also been on strike  since March 13, grounding administrative activities in the institution.