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Tag: ASUU

  • ASUU begins indefinite strike over unpaid allowances, others

    ASUU begins indefinite strike over unpaid allowances, others

    The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) yesterday declared an indefinite strike.

    The union adopted a resolution to go on strike after its ASUU-NEC meeting at the Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, from Sunday till yesterday.

    Fifty-one of the union’s 53 branches unanimously agreed to embark on the strike.

    The action, The Nation learnt, followed the default by the Federal Government to honour the Academic Earned Allowance (AEA) which formed a component of the 2009 agreement the government signed with the union.

    Declaring the strike, ASUU Chairman at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) chapter, Dr Karo Ogbinaka, told reporters yesterday that the strike was a “painful yet inevitable decision”.

    He said ASUU was tired of the government’s inconsistency, adding that the union could no longer tolerate the insults.

    Throwing more light on the AEA, Ogbinaka said it includes allowances paid as part of excess work load responsibility allowance and the allowance for supervision of post-graduate programmes, for lecturers, heads of departments (HoDs), deans, examination officers, among others.

    He said the highest AEA is N12,500 per month, wondering why it was difficult for the government to live up to its promises.

    Ogbinaka recalled that following the 2009 agreement, the Federal Government entered into an MoU with the ASUU and other academic bodies.

    The union leader said after negotiation, the government agreed to also support tertiary education with N100.billion.

    He added: “Later, the government came out to say N100 billion was too much and might cause inflation. We again came down to N80 billion. But to our surprise, the Minister of Education and the NUC told us that the money was not included in the budget. Later, they promised it will be included in the supplementary budget.

    “But later, the government said it could only pay 50 per cent of the N80 billion, which is about one quarter of the total amount. To complicate matter, the government said it would pay only one-off while universities would then continue to pay the rest.

    “We felt this is a betrayal of the agreement and this is what forced us to convene this NEC meeting where 51 of our 53 branches nationwide unanimously agreed that the strike is the only solution.”

    ASUU National President, Dr Nasir Isa, told our reporter on phone that since 2009, no academic staff has been paid the allowance.

    He said ASUU has made several moves, including a warning strike but government remains adamant.

    Dr Nasir added that universities are meant to be universal in nature, noting that Nigerian universities appear to be an exception owing to poor funding and lack of standards.

    Nasir said Responsibility Allowance ASUU negotiated with government is N12 per month, while supervision of PhD is N15 monthly.

    “The Federal Government initially felt we exaggerated the level of decay in the universities until it set up the NEEDS Assessment committee last year which visited some of our universities nationwide and saw the embarrassing sight of some of our infrastructures.

    “From 2007 when the MoU was reached till date, government has not paid any allowance on masters or PhD programmes. That is why our professors are reluctant to supervise masters or PhD thesis. Aside Academic Earned Allowance will attract many foreign students and lecturers here. This is one of the reasons why we do not have academic scholars from overseas.”

     

     

  • ASUU begins indefinite strike over allowance

    ASUU begins indefinite strike over allowance

    …describes action as inevitable

    The Academic Staff Union of Universities on Monday renewed its hostility with the Federal Government as it declared an indefinite strike action. The resolution followed the body’s National Executive Committee meeting held at the Olabisi Onabanjo University Ago-Iwoye in Ogun State on Sunday and dragged till the early hours of Monday.

    According to reports, 51 of the 53 branches of ASUU unanimously agreed to embark on the strike.

    The strike with the government, The Nation learned, followed the federal government‘s failure to honour the Academic Earned Allowance (AEA) which formed a component of the 2009 Agreement government signed with the union.

    Declaring the strike, ASUU chairman University of Lagos (UNILAG) chapter, Dr. Karo Ogbinaka, who addressed reporters at the university premises described the strike as a “painful yet inevitable decision.” He added that ASUU is tired of government’s dilly dallying, and cannot allowed itself to be insulted any further.

    Throwing more light on the AEA, Ogbinaka said it includes allowances paid as part of excess work load responsibility allowance, and allowance for supervision of Post Graduate Programmes for lecturers, head of department (HoDs), Deans and exam officers, among others.

    He added that the highest AEA is not more than N12, 500 per month, wondering why it has remained difficult for government to live up to its promises.

  • AAU lecturers at the mercy of kidnappers

    AAU lecturers at the mercy of kidnappers

    Lecturers and staffers of the Edo State owned university, the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma are now working and living in fear of being kidnapped. They go to work looking behind their backs not knowing whether kidnappers are lurking around. One lecturer said they are now ‘ATM cards’ for kidnappers.
    Hardly a month passes without a lecturer not being kidnapped. Not spared are their spouses who are also easy target for kidnappers.  The victims are usually snatched while returning from work or church between the hours of 6 and 7pm.
    Victims of kidnapping within the university community are increasing by the day. They include Prof. O.P.G. Nmorsi of the Department of Zoology, Prof. (Mrs) C.O. Isiramen of the Department of Religious and Cultural Management, Esohe Enoma. Those whose wives have been kidnapped a former vice chancellor of the school,Prof. J E A Osemekhian, Dr. Ken Imarenezor of the Department of Physics and Microbiology and Prof. Raymond Aluede, Dean of Faculty of Education.
     The victims it was gathered are kept in an open forest until ransoms are paid and the perpetrators are yet to be arrested. Several unions within the university are spoiling for a showdown if nothing was done to protect them their spouses.
    Apparently tired of being in the apron of kidnappers, Academic Staff of Union of Universities (ASUU), AAU-Ekpoma chapter raised an alarm that they were disturbed over the incessant kidnapping of its members.
     In a statement jointly signed by its chairman, Prof. F. I. Esumeh and secretary, Dr. S. O. Omoikhoje, AAU-ASUU said they are living in perpetual fear as the situation was already affecting academic in the institution.
    According to the statement, “Academic work cannot effectively take place in an environment where fear reigns supreme. The nefarious activities has assumed alarming proportion, since little or nothing has been done to apprehend the hoodlums.
    “We believe that the ugly trend has become a pattern and pervasive because little or nothing has been done to apprehend the hoodlums as they seem to be having a free day in their nefarious business”.
    Chairman of Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU), Comrade Dako Etafia, said they have resolved to stage a continuous peaceful protest but that they are careful for hoodlums not to hijack the protest.
    He said, “It is worrisome which all concern members supposed to think of how to get out of it. The kidnapping is targeted at staff of the university. Nigerians should join us to think of a way out. Those involved are not unemployed youth. We don’t know who they are but they are in this community. The list of victims is long. Security should not be finding solutions to an incident that has already occurred. The security agents are not proactive enough. I see the management handicapped in curbing the menace. A married woman is tied in the open air in the forest. Their husbands would become emotionally unstable.”
    Chairman of the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), Comrade Isirame Macauley condemned the kidnapping and said they have concluded plans to protest and go on rampage over the state of insecurity.
    “The way the hoodlums are attacking and kidnapping our staff and their wives is not good. Security and awareness should be beefed up.”
    Prof. Esumeh in an interview attributed the kidnappings to an operation of a cartel because of the pattern and timing of kidnappers.
    “If something is happening on a monthly basis, it is something we have to take seriously. We are not safe. I don’t see the kind of money we earned at the university that warrant the kidnapping of our members and their wives.
    “The sad thing is that you have to part with something before they are released. Our worry is that if this thing is occurring on a monthly basis, there must be some kind of cell or informant operating within Ekpoma and the security agencies have not been able to curtail or arrest anyone. We need more from the security agencies.”
    The ASUU chairman said they would be forced to stop working if the spate of insecurity continues.
    “We are hoping the trend does not continue. We could discuss this thing at the national level and if our members are not safe, they shouldn’t be working. The NBA boycotted the court. I don’t know why lecturers are now targeted. Most of them have said they were kept in the bush. You can imagine somebody kept in the forest.”
    Public Relations Officer of the institution, Chris Adamaigbo said the management could only guaranteed maximum security within the campus and not outside.
     “We are praying that God intervene. We are working with security agencies to curb it in the bud. We are praying that God intervenes. By the time something is becoming incessant, we pray that it did not get to the level of lecturers fearing to come to classes. We are not aware if ransom is being paid. I am not aware of any arrest made so far.” He said.
  • ASUU honours retired members

    ASUU honours retired members

    The University of Calabar (UNICAL) chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has honoured retired members. The event took place at the International Conference Centre of the university.

    In his opening address, Vice-Chancellor Prof James Epoke praised the leadership of the association for the initiative.

    The ASUU chairman, Dr James Okpliya, said the event was aimed at recognising former members who served the union.

    In a lecture titled The struggle continues, Dr Ndubuisi Osuagwu described the honorees as worthy ambassadors of the union, who left unforgettable marks in the struggle. He enjoined members to build on the legacies their retired colleagues left through ideologically-based struggles.

    Speaking on behalf of the awardees, Prof Bene Madunagu expressed appreciation to the organisers and pledged the retirees’ allegiance to the union.

    The event also witnessed the presentation of cheques to the awardees.

     

  • Varsities’ councils critical in meeting mandates- Ex- ASUU chief

    Varsities’ councils critical in meeting mandates- Ex- ASUU chief

    Former President, Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Prof. Ukachukwu Awuzie, on Thursday described governing councils of universities as critical in meeting university mandates.

    Awuzie told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Lagos, that governing councils were major components of universities that could not be overlooked by any such institution in a bid to actualise the purpose of its establishment.

    According to him, the purpose of constituting such a body is simply to regulate and curtail the excesses of some of the university authorities.

    “I feel the constitution of governing councils in universities should be one of the things to be put in place as soon as plans for establishing them are conceived.

    “I dare say that all these calls for universities to constitute their governing councils by the NUC should have come much earlier because it is a sine qua-non for good governance in our universities.

    “It is very important because it is a critical organ that will ensure that our universities do what they are expected to do, as at when due.

    “We cannot be talking about the way forward for the poor university system in the country and the need to meet world standards without first looking inwards and putting the right things in place,” Awuzie said.

    The immediate past ASUU boss noted that with governing councils in place, universities would be alert and alive to their responsibilities.

    He called on vice-chancellors of Nigerian universities– private or public– to be pro-active in working towards achieving a common goal for the benefit of the students and the country at large.

     

  • ASUU-OAU demands implementation of panel report

    Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), has condemned in its entirety corruption cover up in high places in Nigeria.

    The Chairman Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Chapter Prof Peter Akinola stated this in Ibadan while briefing journalists over the weekend on the Industrial crisis at the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (IAR&T).

    All the unions at the Institute including Senior Staff Associations, Non-Academic Staff union and Academic Staff Union have been on strike for nine months over allegations of funds misappropriation running into 192.5billion, levelled against the management of the institute.

    Akinola noted that only the Vice Chancellor of OAU, Prof Tale Omole is constitutionally empowered to appoint and remove the embattled Director of the institute Prof Benjamin Ogunbodede so as to restore peace to the Institute.

    The ASUU boss who lamented that many corrupt individuals in Nigeria are being shielded by the powers-that-be called on Omole to ensure full implementation of the fact-finding panel earlier set up to investigate management of the institute.

    “This further demonstrates that it is possible to be corrupt and still remain in office once you are connected to people in power. This is indeed a sad story in Nigeria of today where corruption eats deep into the fabrics of every aspect of our national life. For progress there must be justice, equity, and transparency at all levels in Nigeria including higher institutions.”

    The three unions had last week, jointly staged a peaceful protest demanding the removal of the Executive Director over the mismanagement of aforementioned amount.

    They called on OAU authorities to adopt reports of Prof E.A Odu who investigated the alleged financial mismanagement.

    The workers have also jointly petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) to step into the matter which allegedly accused Prof Ogunbodede of having paid 177.5million as hazard allowance and 15million for crop production.

     

  • Abducted varsity lecturer regains freedom

    A female lecturer at the University of Uyo (UniUyo), Dr .Ime Udotong, who was kidnapped by unknown gunmen on March 16, has regained her freedom.

    The news of her release is contained in a statement signed by the Chairman of the UniUyo Branch of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Mr. Nwachukwu Anyim, on Thursday.

    Anyim stated that the female lecturer was released on Wednesday.

    On whether any ransom was paid to affect her release, he said: “the family would not want to be dragged into that now.

    “What we can say is that we are happy that she has regained her freedom.”

    The union chairman expressed gratitude to security agencies in the state for living up to expectation.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Udotong, who is a lecturer in the Department of Biochemistry, was kidnapped by gunmen when she was returning from work.

    ASUU on Tuesday carried out a protest and issued 24-hour ultimatum to security agencies in the state to hasten the release of their colleague.

     

  • ‘95% of RSUST lecturers abandoned strike’

    ‘95% of RSUST lecturers abandoned strike’

    The Rivers State University of Science and Technology (RSUST) said 95 per cent of members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) have resumed academic work in spite of the ongoing strike by the lecturers.

    The University’s spokesman, Mr. Desmond Wosu, told the News Agency of Nigeria in a chat in Port Harcourt on Tuesday that ASUU had declared media war against the university.

    He alleged that the union had resorted to portraying the university in a negative manner so as to publicly undermine its credibility.

    Wosu was reacting to a call by the leadership of ASUU for the state government to set-up a panel of inquire to establish the legality of the reappointment of Prof. Barineme Fakae as Vice-Chancellor.

    He said the call by ASUU was regrettable, especially as Governor Chibuike Amaechi had encouraged the union to seek court redress if it felt that the reappointment exercise lacked transparency.

    He said, “I think what the national leadership of ASUU should do is, if they want legal interpretation of what Governor Amaechi had done; is to go to a competent court of jurisdiction, instead of blackmail and campaign of calumny against Amaechi and the management of this university.

    “For ASUU to continue to blackmail us and wage media war against this university is unfortunate because more than 95 per cent of academic staff have come back to work after realising that it was unnecessary for them to have embarked on the strike in the first place.

    “We appeal to ASUU to sheathe their swords and prevail on its members, who are out there to come back to work because Amaechi performed his civic responsibility of appointing a vice-chancellor for this university.”

     

  • Let ASUU be

    SIR: The Yoruba say no sane parent gives a stubborn child to a wild animal to feed-on. The parent would rather pray and work for the transformation of the child. The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) is a common legacy of all the universities in Nigeria, mounted to protect the interest of the academic staff. Whenever the Union secures a right, all the other staff unions in the system press for a similar right.

    Through ASUU’s pressures, many universities in Nigeria are better funded. Unfortunately, some administrators use the enormous funds at their disposal to build fanciful structures, and engage in expansionism, while failing to maintain properly the preceding structures. Some retired workers are not replaced. What is worse, some faculties have no sufficient lecture rooms and examination halls.

    In universities where ASUU has been compromised, the academic and other staffs become a pawn in the chess of the administrators. They experience such degradations as cut in salaries, illegal deductions, and denial of allowances. I don’t know how else a university academic staff can protect its dignity than through a well-positioned ASUU chapter. Those who are resisting ASUU have ulterior motives, and the overwhelming majority should shout them down.

    ASUU is badly positioned when its executive arm is composed of “academics” handpicked by a dictatorial Vice-Chancellor and his/her kitchen cabinet, surreptitiously imposed on the Union. Such a scenario violates ASUU’s Constitution. The handpicked executive members are silenced with unmerited promotions in some universities. Yes, they sell their consciences and neutralize the only protection (ASUU) owned by the academic staff.

    The situation is not different from what obtains in the larger Nigerian society: timidity and failure to oppose dictatorship and exploitation. The saddest question is: If a university community cannot save its union, what contribution can it make to Nigeria’s liberation from neo-colonialism? Those who equate ASUU with incessant strike play the union into the hands of its enemies. They are agents of Mammon; their stomachs are their gods; they commit Boko Haram.

    Repositioning ASUU is a collective responsibility; the excesses of both ASUU and university administrators cannot be properly addressed simply by removing the word “strike” from Nigeria’s dictionary. Strike must remain in ASUU’s arsenal if university administrators are to fear and respect it at all. Strike is ASUU’s teeth that it must use (sparingly) in encounter with horrible inhumanity. Not all ASUU’s strikes are reprehensible. What is more, most of its achievements have been through one strike or another. Those working against ASUU’s existence should remember posterity and nemesis. Let all rise in support of ASUU!

    • Pius Oyeniran Abioje, Ph. D,

    University of Ilorin

  • ASUU worried over ‘lawlesness in varsities’

    ASUU worried over ‘lawlesness in varsities’

    NIGERIAN varsities are gradually turning into havens of lawlessness and the authorities are not bothered, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) alerted yesterday

    The union’s National President, Dr. Nasir F. Isa, raised the alarm in a chat with reporters at the ASUU secretariat in Bayero University Kano (BUK), in Kano State.

    He urged President Goodluck Jonathan to urgently intervene in the crisis-ridden varsities to protect the future of the youth.

    Among the issues raised by the ASUU leader include: killing of students at Nasarawa State University, Keffi (NSUK); leadership crisis at Rivers State University of Science and Technology (RSUST); disregard for court orders at the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN); release of a White Paper on President Jonathan’s special visitation to University of Abuja (UNIABUJA) and the need for reconstitution of Governing Councils for federal varsities.

    The ASUU leadership called for a full-scale investigation on the killing of two students at NSUK with a bid to bringing culprits to justice.

    According to Isa, besides the death of the two students , more than 20 others received varying degrees of injuries.

    He pointed out that experience over the years has shown that recourse to military intervention in civil matters like students’ unrest had never yielded the desired result.

    His words: “The questions begging for answers, however, are: why would the authorities of NSUK refuse to provide basic boreholes that can sufficiently meet the water needs of their students?

    “Why would they refuse to respond to the entreaties and eventual warnings of the students before February 25? Why did the authorities of NSUK ignore the students’ lecture boycott of February 25? Who invited the military to quell students’ peaceful protest? Who ordered the shootings and killings of varsity students?

    “We are requesting the visitor to NSUK to institute an inquiry into the killings of our students. We are warning that unless the immediate and remote causes of the killings are identified and appropriate punitive measures taken against the killers of our innocent students. Our union will leave no stone unturned in our pursuance of justice to all the victims of this madness.

     

    “Never again shall we fold our arms and watch as trigger-happy soldiers and/or police officers murder or students in cold blood. Never again shall we allow such murderers to go unpunished and be unleashed to another set of innocent citizens, to kill again.”

    Isa also condemned the action of Rivers State Governor Mr. Rotimi Amaechi for allegedly imposing Prof. B.B. Fakaye for second-term as Vice Chancellor of RSUST without following due process.

    He said: “Contrary to Governor Amaechi’s promise to our members and other workers at RSUST, the Visitor connived with the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council, Justice A.G.Karibi-Whyte (rtd) to re-appoint Prof. Fakaye initially as acting vice chancellor and subsequently confirmed him as the substantive in utter violation of the laid down procedures.”

    He accused the National University Commission (NUC) for taking side in the RSUST crisis, pointing out that the regulatory failed in its duty “to critically and objectively investigate the unhealthy university governance process at RSUST.”

    The ASUU leader also frowned at the non-payment of salaries and entitlement to its members at UNILORIN, following their recall by a Supreme Court judgment.

    He said: “The continued disregard for law and legal authorities at UNILORIN will not serve the overall interest of the university and the country.

    “The President and visitor to the University of Illorin should impress it on the managers of the institution to embrace openness and democratic ethos by implmenting court judgments to the letter and allow its staffers to exercise their rights to unionise without let or hindrance.”