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Tag: ASUU

  • Gunmen abduct UNIOSUN ASUU Chairman’s wife

    Unidentified gunmen have abducted the wife of the Chairman, Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Osun State University (UNIOSUN) chapter, Dr. Oluseye Abiona.

    The gunmen were said to have double-crossed the victim, Funmilayo on Friday evening while driving home from her shop near the university junction at Oke-Baale area of Osogbo in an unmarked ash colour Toyota Lexus ES 330 salon car.

    She was said to have been whisked away in her abductors’ vehicles after struggling  with them for some minutes.‎

    Eye witness accounts revealed that the gunmen smashed the rear wind screen of her vehicle in anger, dragged her into their vehicle and drove her away leaving her two children in the car.

    The detectives from the State Police Command were immediately contacted and on arrival at the scene, rescued the two children in her car while another detachment was on trail of the suspects.‎

    The State Police Public Relations Officer, Mrs. Folasade Odoro, who confirmed the incident, said the state Police Commissioner, ‎Alhaji Abubakar Marafa had directed the detectives to ensure that they rescue the victim unhurt.

  • ASUU rejects interim exco in LASU

    ASUU rejects interim exco in LASU

    The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Lagos zone, has affirmed the leadership of Dr Adekunle Idris-led executive of the Lagos State University (LASU) chapter.  It disowned the Asokere Ayodele-led interim Executive Committee.

    Last Friday, Asokere and three others, Mr Sunday Afobunor, Dr Rasaq Olowu, and Dr Olateju Olawale, announced Idris’ suspension and the formation of an interim executive committee.

    During an emergency briefing at the LASU Ojo campus, on Tuesday, Zonal Coordinator of ASUU Lagos Zone, Dr Adesola Nasir, said those beind the interim government were suspended members, who have not realigned themselves into the union.

    ASUU Lagos zone comprises the University of Lagos (UNILAG); LASU; Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta (FUNAAB); Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye (OOU); and the Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED).

    Nasir reiterated that ASUU is indivisible, and capable of determining when there is need to remove an erring officer, or install an interim executive.

    “We hereby wish to state unequivocally that Dr Adekunle Idris-led executive is the only one known to ASUU at both national and zonal levels.  While noting the activities of the suspended members of ASUU which are clearly anti-union, we urge them to seek redress within the stipulated guidelines in the union’s constitution if indeed it is the interest of the union that they are defending as claimed,” he said.

    Nasir explained that ASUU code of conduct states that a would-be chairman must neither be a student in any institution, nor on sabbatical leave, noting that both Asokere and Afobunor are still pursuing their PhD programmes therefore they are still considered ‘students’ and cannot man ASUU.

    Nasir also accused Obafunwa of dabbling into the union’s activities by using its suspended members to fight them.

    “We have also observed that the university has become embroiled in some meddlesomeness in staff activities by allowing a university organ to collude with some suspended members of our union to foment crisis in LASU.

    Nasir insists that the management is victimising members for protesting against promotion and winning the war against reduction in school fees which Governor Babatunde Fashola eventually bowed to at the university’s 19th convocation in August.

    He said the last ASUU-LASU strike in May was appropriately requested for, and was granted by ASUU national before member embarked on it.

    Nasir reeled out the 20 suspended ASUU members, vowing that their names will be circulated among its chapters nationwide.

    He noted that ASUU-LASU and other unions and students that fought against the school fees deserve a pat on the back, as against the alleged victimisation by management.

    Nasir said the call by workers for another visitation panel should be championed by Obafunwa himself if he is truly convinced of his determination to clean the system.

    “A transparent vice-chancellor should be the one to ask government for a visitation panel. This is because such panel will expose the rot in the system and make government see those who are clogs in the wheel of progress. But he (Obafunwa) has been frustrating the move for a panel,” Nasir said.

     

  • Congress suspends ASUU-LASU excos

    Congress suspends ASUU-LASU excos

    The general congress of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Lagos State University (LASU) chapter, has suspended the Adekunle Idris-led executive after extensive deliberations.

    The Congress listed lack of focus and poor leadership style as some of the reasons for the action.

    Consequently, an interim executive, led by Asokere Ayodele, has been put in place, pending when a constituted executive for the union is elected.

    The congress also directed that a five-man investigative panel be constituted to probe the activities of the suspended ASUU-LASU executives.

    The decision of the congress was announced to reporters by Asokere, who was joined by Afobuno Sunday and Rasaq Adewale Olowu at the Ojo Main Campus at the weekend.

    They said the union’s emergency congress held last Thursday was attended by 150 people.

    According to Asokere, the congress was well-attended compared to the records of the past attendance.

    The interim chairman said the notice of the exco’s suspension was communicated to the various groups affected by the decision, including ASUU Lagos,  ASUU National, LASU management and the suspended executives.

    The interim chairman said: “At a well-attended congress meeting of the union, we reviewed the events unfolding within the union in the last 21 months under the regime of the Adekunle Idris-led exco.

    “After extensive deliberations, it was decided that since the Idris-led exco has lost focus and displayed gross incapability to hold the union together, leading to its balkanisation, the exco is hereby suspended.

    “An investigative panel comprising of eminent scholars is hereby constituted to probe the Idris-led exco and report back to the congress within 14 days.  Reporters and the public are hereby notified of the suspension.

    “Finally, an interim exco led by my humble self has been put in place to steer the ship of our union, until a properly constituted exco is put in place.”

    Asokere defended the suspension, saying members are tired of Idris’ leadership style and lack of unity in the union.

    But Prof Idris said his “suspension” was “orcehestrated” by the Vice-Chancellor,  Prof John Obafunwa.

    “He is using the people to create problems in the system. Everything we fight for is for the benefit of the university.

    “I want to make it clear to the world that ASUU-LASU is going through a form of cleansing.

    “Over time, there have been instances when leaders use their position to penetrate the university management to get what they want but the exco is saying it won’t happen again.

    “The bad days in LASU are numbered, we don’t even recognise the VC because he has not managed the university well,” he noted.

     “Those people who are parading themselves as the new ASUU members are in fact among the 21 suspended members of ASUU-LASU except Dr Olowu. T

    “heir suspension has been ratified by the national body so as it stands they cannot address anyone as members of ASUU. They can start another union if they want.

    “I don’t know how it is possible for 17 suspended members to suspend us because it was only 17 people who attended the congress when we have about 720 members; they only took register round the university to get more signatures ,” he said.

  • ASUU won’t go on strike – Minister

    ASUU won’t go on strike – Minister

    The Minister of Education, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, has said that despite threats of industrial action by the Academic Staff Union of Nigerian Universities (ASUU), the union will not embark on any strike soon.

    Shekarau, who spoke on Monday during an impact assessment tour of the Federal University, Otuoke, Bayelsa State, said there was no problem between ASUU and the Federal Government to warrant another round of strike.

    He, however, claimed that the minor problem between the two parties was information gap.

    “We will continue to apply more and more dialogue to bridge the communication gap between the Federal Government and the ASUU to ensure that there is peace,” Shekarau said.

    He insisted that the issue of funding, which has been a major dispute between the parties, had been resolved.

    He said: “I am sure that any ASUU member that sees what is going on in the tertiary institutions will be surprised. I tell you, some of the institutions, their money is waiting for them and allocations are being made in the last couple of weeks.

    “They are just waiting for due process to be followed for them to access the funds. So, it is not the problem of need, the need has to be accessed. Government is providing the funds and we are releasing the funds gradually.

    “ASUU is part of the implementation committee. So ASUU is following the picture of what is going on and I am sure with that, the days of strike will be over.”

    Shekarau noted that he was happy with the level of work at the Otuoke Federal University, stressing that the government had invested so much in universities across the country through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund and the Special Presidential Intervention.

    He commended the management of the institution for the completion of the three-storey female hostel which had since been in disuse.

    But he expressed dismay over the slow pace of the male hostel which was still at 60 per cent completion.

  • Call LASU VC to order, ASUU tells Fashola

    Call LASU VC to order, ASUU tells Fashola

    •‘We must step on toes to sanitise ‘

    The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has called on Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola to call the Vice-Chancellor of the State University, Prof John Oladapo Obafunwa, to order on the alleged victimisation of ASUU members.

    At a three-day ASUU-NEC congress which ended yesterday, the union’s National President, Nasir Fagge, said the interdiction of one of its members, Prof Tunde Fatunde, for allegedly being rude to the registrar, as well as the planned withdrawal of the PhD certificate of ASUU-LASU chairman Adekunle Idris is seen as an attempt to emasculate unionists.

    Fagge described as a “serious academic error” an attempt to withdraw the certificate of a member after it has passed through relevant process and subsequently vetted by Senate and duly signed by Obafunwa.

    But Obafunwa absolved himself of any blame, saying the decision was carried out by the university senate.

    Speaking with reporters in his office yesterday, the VC lamented how his attempt to clean the Aegean’s Stable, was attracting criticisms.

    Obafunwa said not long ago, the senate discovered that 13 of its lecturers who bagged PhD in LASU found such certificates defective as some were issued certificates for programmes the university neither run, or that the recipients did not conduct research on.

    He categorised the defects in certificates as “mild”, “serious” and “very serious” cases, adding that Idris’ falls under the third category.

    “When we discovered that, some senate members suggested that it should be resolved internally, but I said this will not fly. Our mandate was to clean up rots in LASU and we will not compromise on our stance,” Obafunwa said.

    According to him, the Senate has since resolved those with mild cases, and has asked those under the two other categories to return their certificates.

    He said some of the affected members have been cooperating but Idris chose to whip up sentiments in order to seek undue public sympathy.

    “On Idris’ case, it is not a question of returning the certificate for a new one; it is a question of withdrawing it because the programme written in his does not exist in LASU,” he added.

    But ASUU insists it will rather fight in court than bow to pressure. Idris said he is being victimised for his uncompromising role as ASUU-LASU chairman.

    He recalled that in 2012, LASU issued him a PhD in Business Administration/Marketing. Before then, Idris noted that two of his colleagues had bagged similar degrees, wondering why LASU management now chose to make him a scapegoat.

    Idris said though he applied for PhD in Business Administration, his thesis and seminar were on Marketing, the same manner with two others ahead of him.

    “When the university did that, I believed that is the standard the university accepts for itself because Marketing is the field I wrote my project and courses,” Idris said.

    Obafunwa said a committee has just been set up that will review certificates issued in the past and make necessary recommendations to senate.

     

  • ASUU faults delay of UniAbuja panel’s report

    ASUU faults delay of UniAbuja panel’s report

    The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Abuja Chapter, has described the delay by Federal Government visitation panel to release the White paper as a plan to cover up hidden issues.

    ASUU Chairman, UniAbuja chapter, Dr. Ben Ugheoke, said the panel constituted by President Goodluck Jonathan spent over N400 million in eight weeks and findings have not been made public.

     The body in a statement issued and signed by it Chairman, Dr. Ben Ugbeoke after a congress in Abuja resolved that: “the Congress of ASUU-UNIABUJA hereby calls on the Visitor to the university, to as a matter of urgency, direct the immediate release and implementation of the White Paper, in the interest of industrial harmony, peace, progress and prosperity of the University of Abuja.”

    It reads in part: “On July 25, 2012, a forty-five (45)- man Special Visitation Panel (SVP) was constituted by President of Nigeria and Visitor to the University of Abuja, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR, to investigate the activities of the University of Abuja from 1990,the year it became operational to date (2012 as then the terminal date).

    “The SVP sat for a period of eight (8) weeks, and cost the Federal Government of Nigeria over four hundred million naira (N400,000.000) of tax payers’ money. The SVP submitted its report to the Visitor and President of Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr Good luck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR, through Prof. Ruquayat Rufai, the then Minister of Education, on 27th of September, 2012. Till date, 28th November, 2014, the White Paper on the findings of the SVP on the University of Abuja is yet to be made public!

    “The Congress of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, University of Abuja Branch (ASUU-UNIABUJA), construes this action as either a deliberate attempt to cover up the startling findings of the Dr Theophilus Osanakpo, SAN, led-SVP on the parlous state of the University of Abuja or a complete demonstration of FGN’s apathy towards the development and growth of the University of Abuja. Or even a tacit acceptance of the well-entrenched culture of impunity and gross administrative infractions over the 26 years existence of the institution by the university management.

    “In view of the heavy financial and logistical commitment of the FGN as deployed to setting and financing the Dr Theophilus Osanakpo, SAN, led-Special Visitation Panel (2012) which was to help identify lingering issues in the University of Abuja, the resolution of which  would commence the rebirth of the University of Abuja; its development and progress.”

  • ASUU, SSANU seek another visitation panel in LASU

    The Senior Staff Union of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) Lagos State University (LASU) chapter, has said it is pitching its tent behind the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) of the university by inviting a visitation panel to review activities under the Vice-Chancellor Prof John Oladapo Obafunwa.

    Both unions are alleging that management is victimising their members, and stalling members’ promotion, issuing unwarranted queries and setting up kangaroo disciplinary panel for members on unsubstantiated allegations.

    ASUU also accused management of encouraging a parallel senate, irregular appointments, improper composition of Council, doctoring of documents and misguiding Governing Council on the true state of the institution, among others.

    Of greater concern to both unions however, is the review of all appointments and promotions under the present administration some of which the unions contends did not follow due process, but were rather done to favour Obafunwa’s friends and cronies.

    Nearly, four years ago, Lagos State Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola, set up a visitation panel to review activities of LASU,under the previous administration headed by Prof later Akanni Hussein.

    The Chairman of SSANU-LASU Comrade Oseni Saheed, told The Nation at the union office in LASU on Friday, that the union has not gone to bed over its agitation; rather it has decided to keep a low profile in order not to be labelled a clog in the wheel of progress.

    “All the things we have been agitation for including promotions of our members are still there,” Oseni said. “Remember that we even staged a protest during the last convocation which got the attention of the governor. However, we do not want government to see us as enemies or unnecessary trouble makers; that is why we have decided to suspend every agitation for now.

    “But we have a shocker for the management. We won’t tell them when to strike but they will hear from us soon. SSANU-LASU is also using this opportunity to appeal to government to visit LASU to a get true picture of situations on ground. Our management is not telling government the truth.”

    ASUU-LASU chairman Dr Adekunle Idris, said the call became necessary to salvage another imminent chaos in the university and to also ensure members’ interest are safeguarded.

    In a briefing at the university premises on Wednesday last week, Dr Idris said ASUU had made all necessary steps to toe the line of peace, noting that management is bent on compound situation in the three decade-old institution.

    ASUU Zonal Coordinator (Lagos) Dr Sola Nasir, said the union had met with Obafunwa on several occasion but the latter merely pretends to listen, only to backpedal on any agreement reached by the two parties.

    For instance, Nasir said members’ promotion for last year was inconclusive, adding that no measure has so far been taken on this year.

    Said Nasir: “No APER (Annual Performance Evaluation Report” form is circulated among academic staff. However, advertisement for appointments has been sent out.  True to the character of the present administration, appointment is being used to replace promotion. Openings were advertised to promote some individuals who are oiling the ego and assisting the vice-chancellor in his scheme of destruction. This is not the acceptable culture in the academia. ASUU would not allow any form of patronage in the system,” the union said.

    Nasir also questioned the rationale for the appointment of the new HoDs. He noted that though, such appointment is the prerogative of the vice-chancellor, yet they were not done in line with best practices. According to him, those whose names were submitted by the deans of various faculties (who are supposedly closer to the departments) for such appointment were rejected by management.

    ASUU further lamented that some academic misfits were being elevated at the expense of deserving members.

    “The vice-chancellor appointed and promoted candidates that are neither appointable nor promotable. He appointed a candidate to the position of a Senior Lecturer with two academic journals in the Faculty of Law. He also appointed an individual as a professor with less than 15 papers contrary to the principles and rules governing promotions and appointments. These 15 papers included lecture notes and conference proceedings while the percentage of acceptable papers could not have earned him a Senior Lecturer status.

     

  • Tributes as UI ASUU remembers Iyayi

    Tributes as UI ASUU remembers Iyayi

    The University of Ibadan (UI) chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) paid tributes yesterday to its late president, Prof Festus Iyayi.

    The activist died a year ago in a road crash involving the convoy of Kogi State Governor Idris Wada.

    At a special commemoration organised by the union at UI’s Faulty of Art, the university’s ASUU Chairman, Prof Segun Ajiboye, described the late Iyayi as a hero, who used his powers to defend and fight for a functional education system.

    Ajiboye said: “One year has gone by that we lost a great comrade who fought earnestly for the standardisation of the education system in this country. He was a dodged fighter who singlehandedly fought for the union at the University of Benin (UNIBEN) and was even sent away for nine years by the then Vice-Chancellor, Prof Grace Alele-Williams.

    “To me, he laid down his life for our EARNED Allowances, but he never had the opportunity to spend from it. The fund has been released to Nigerian universities but Iyayi is no more. Let us reflect soberly and emulate his great legacies.”

    A former ASUU Chairman at the Lagos State University (LASU), Prof Biodun Saani, said: “Prof Iyayi was my hero, who mentored me and ensured the sustenance of our union. We need to reinvigorate ourselves and we must not compromise our principles.”

    Saani said ideological mentoring was missing among the union’s members.

    The academic urged them to bridge the gap. He said: “What I learnt from Prof Iyayi was to wake up early as a man. What I have achieved today in my career should be credited to him.”

    The Convener of ASUU Committee on Human Rights, Dr Sola Olorunyomi, in an emotional tribute, said the union was celebrating the life of a great man.

  • ASUU, others demand state of emergency in education

    ASUU, others demand state of emergency in education

    The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and three other unions in Nigerian universities have asked the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency in the education system.

    This was contained in a communiqué by the presidents of the four unions – ASUU), National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT), Non-academic Staff Union of Universities and Associated Institutions (NASU) and Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU)) – at the end of one week National Education Summit in Abuja.

    A copy of the statement was made available to reporters in Ibadan by the Ibadan Zonal Coordinator of ASUU, Prof. Olusegun Ajiboye.

    The unions called for “the reconceptualisation of the Nigerian education system” to enable it perform its transformative functions for the individuals, groups and the nation.

    The unions vowed to develop and present to the government a new education policy, to reflect the aspirations, culture, values and realities of the people within the context of a vibrant world.

    According to the unions, there was need for the government to declare a state of emergency in the education system, because “the current system is characterised by chronic underfunding, bad leadership, and infrastructural decay, poor conditions of learning and service, promotion of mediocrity, shortage of personnel (academic, technical and administrative) and entrenchment of orthodoxy, parochialism and chauvinism”.

    The four unions, which held the summit with the theme, “Towards a system of education for liberation in Nigeria,” warned the government not to use public funds, such as Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Petroleum Trust Development Fund (PTDF) among others, to fund private educational institutions and associated enterprises.

    While condemning corruption, lack of professionalism, poor and opportunistic leadership and unethical conduct  impinging on the learning environment and the integrity of teaching and research, the unions called on their members nationwide to rid the sector of these ills.

    While rejecting the systematic privatisation of education and selling off of public educational institutions, the unions described education as public good, which must not be left in the hands of private individuals who are driven solely by profit.

    The unions added: “The fundamental problem bedevilling the educational system is that it is located within a philosophical and political economic system which emphasises personal self-enrichment and individual aggrandisement instead of emphasising knowledge acquisition geared towards public good and national development.

    “The philosophy on education does not address the realities, identities, values, customs and aspirations of the Nigerian people.”

  • ASUU, others to restructure Education sector

    ASUU, others to restructure Education sector

    Stakeholders in the Education sector, led by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), will today converge on Abuja to review the nation’s Education system at a National Education Summit.

    It was learnt that the summit is aimed at restructuring the education system.

    A statement at the weekend by the Chairman Planning Committee and former ASUU President Dr Dipo Fashina stated that the five-day  education summit (27th-31st October) will hold at the Conference Hall, Top Rank Hotel, Utako District, Abuja

    With the theme “Towards a System of Education for Liberation in Nigeria”, the summit is being put together by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT), Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) in collaboration with Federal and State Ministries of Education and Civil Society Groups.

    The former ASUU chief said for the country to be a stakeholder in the global system, it must restructure its educational system to promote development.

    Fashina in the release stated Prof Biodun Jeyifo of Havard University will be the chairman of the occasion while Minister of Education, Alhaji Ibrahim Shekarau is the special guest of honour.

    Fashina disclosed that the Summit will review the educational system with a view to restructuring it to liberate Nigerians.

    According to the former ASUU leader, the educational system is one sided, promoting the interests of the world’s powers, who colonised Africa, making the need to develop an educational system, which can serve the interests of Nigerians a necessity.

    He said: “The four main unions in tertiary institutions are organising a national education summit, the purpose of which is to look for what will be a liberating educational system in the country.