By Muhammad Ibrahim, Sokoto
The Zonal Coordinator of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), comprising nine universities, has called on the Federal Government to honor its agreement with the union and stop the victimization of its members.
Professor Abubakar Sambo, representing universities including UDUS, UMYU, KSUSTA, SSU, FUDMA, FUBK, FUG, SSUES, and FUZ, made this statement during a press briefing in Sokoto over the weekend.
He recalled that after the 2022 strike by ASUU, a Memorandum of Action was signed between the Federal Government and the union, which led to the suspension of the strike and the resumption of academic activities following a court ruling.
Professor Sambo outlined the unresolved issues, including the conclusion of the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU agreement, based on the Nimi Briggs Committee’s Draft Agreement of 2021, and the release of withheld salaries from the 2022 strike. Other issues include the release of unpaid salaries for staff on sabbatical, part-time, and adjunct appointments affected by the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), as well as the implementation of reports from university visitation panels and the adoption of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) software in place of IPPIS.
He further lamented the dismissal of over 120 academics from Kogi State University on August 14, 2017, due to the actions of the university’s governing council and vice-chancellors. Additionally, there have been terminations of appointments, denial of promotions, withholding of salaries, and non-remittance of third-party deductions at institutions such as Lagos State University, Ambrose Alli University Ekpoma, Ebonyi State University, Federal University of Technology Owerri, and Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University.
“While the government and university administrators are expected to uphold the truth and protect the public university system, they are instead acting as agents of destruction,” said Professor Sambo. He also criticized the current economic hardships caused by government policies, which have worsened the teaching and learning environment in public universities.
He emphasized the need for the government to respect academic freedom, provide adequate funding, and improve working conditions to ensure the growth of Nigerian universities.
