By Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna
About Seven Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), under Kano zone, have lamented the continues intimidation and threats on their members in Kaduna State University under Governor Nasir el-rufai administration.
The Union, in a statement signed by its zonal Coordinator, Comrade Abdulkadir Muhammad and issued to newsmen in Kaduna noted that the Kano zone of ASUU met on 7th August, 2022 and deliberated on the intimidation meted on the ASUU members at KASU by the Government of Nasir Ahmed El-Rufai over the ongoing nationwide strike action embarked upon as directed by the National Union.
The zone which comprised Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (ABU), Bayero University Kano (BUK), Federal University, Dutse (FUD), Kano University of Science and Technology, Wudil (KUST), Kaduna State University (KASU), Sule Lamido University, Kafin Hausa (SLU) and Yusuf Mataima Sule University, Kano (YUMSU), respectively, alleges threat to sack all its members in Kaduna varsity.
“It would be recalled that the Governor had threatened to sack all academic staff that have joined the strike action.
According to the zone, ASUU as a Union had experienced similar threats in the past, and that had never deterred it from the patriotic struggles to salvage their public universities from imminent collapse.
”It is therefore illogical for the Government of Nasir El-Rufei to bluff that members of ASUU-KASU should either break away from the National strike or be sacked.
“Since the issuance of this threat, our members have constantly been intimidated and coerced by the University Council and Management through opening of registers, conduct of a comic exercise called examinations, selective stoppage of staff salaries, among others.
The Union explained that KASU has benefited immensely from the TETFund interventions, revitalization fund, staff development and provision of research grants, which are dividends of ASUU strikes, adding the Kaduna State University (KASU) is one of the universities that could rightly be described as “TETFund University since virtually all buildings in the University were constructed by TETFund interventions.
”We challenge the visitor of KASU to show a single structure he constructed on KASU campuses during his two term tenure as Governor of Kaduna State.
While commenting on the ongoing examinations in the state University, ASUU demands that all the so-called examinations so far conducted be discarded in order to maintain and respect the sacred system of evaluation in the university system.
”These theatrical exercises that the University Management confused and referred to as examinations that are currently going on in KASU are unhealthy.
The Union said the examination was characterized by non-coverage of course outlines, incomplete lecture contact hours, non-participation of lecturers who taught the courses in the setting of the examination questions and supervisions, involvement of students in invigilation and non-moderation of question papers, which are clear violations of the laid down rules and regulations governing the conduct of examinations.
”The Union would not fold its arms while the University evaluation system is being
bastardized and abused by the Management of KASU.
“The examinations must be re-conducted after following the due process and suspension of the ongoing strike action, otherwise, the Union will be left with no option but to write a petition to the National Universities Commission (NUC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) against the Management of KASU.
”We commends the commitment and resilience of ASUU-KASU members for not succumbing to the antics of Kaduna State Government and its agents.
The Union calls on its members in KASU to remain resolute and prosecute the strike action to its logical conclusion.
