ASUU wants visitors and Vice Chancellors of six universities to stop the unjustifiable victimisation of its members.
By Muhammad Babayo ASHA
Bauchi Zonal office of the Academic Staff Union of Universities ASUU has called on the visitors and Vice Chancellors of six universities to stop the unjustifiable victimisation of their members and to re-instate those who have been sacked.
The Bauchi ASUU zone comprises, University of Jos, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi; Federal University Kashere, Gombe State University, Gombe; Plateau State University, Bokkos and Sa’adu Zungur University, Bauchi.
The Bauchi Zonal Coordinator,
Professor Timothy Namo who made the call in Bauchi during press conference said the decision was reached at the National Executive Council of the Union held at the University of Ibadan on 17th and 18th August, 2024.
Professor Timothy Namo said the Union has reviewed the state of its engagements with the Federal and State Governments aimed at repositioning Nigeria’s public universities for global reckoning, by arresting the worsening living and working conditions in the universities and the nation at large.
” ….. the Union resolved to set aside September 10, 2024 as the National Day of Solidarity with our victimised members in some universities….”
” ….. these universities include Lagos State University LASU, Ojoo; Kogi State University KSU, Anyigba; Ebonyi State University EBSU, Abakaliki; Ambrose Ali University AAU, Ekpoma; Federal University of Technology, Owerri FUTO and Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University COOU, Igbariam….” Professor Timothy Namo explained.
He said the aim is to draw the attention of all critical stakeholders to the unjustifiable and the hardship being meted to their colleagues in the aforementioned universities.
” …. our union is worried that the respective visitors and administrators of these universities have continued to victimise our members through wicked actions including, but not limited to, termination of appointments, suspension from work, withholding of salaries and allowances, denial and delay of promotion, exclusion from statutory meetings and non-remittance of union dues and other third-party deductions….” He lamented.
According to him
Lagos State University LASU has been in a running battle which resulted in the victimisation of five leaders of the Union who have been sacked and despite the submission of the Visitation Panel report more than two years, the State Government has refused to release and implement the White Paper.
” …. we hereby call on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to direct the immediate re-instatement of the unjustly sacked colleagues….”
“… NEC has resolved to immediately re-activate sanctions imposed on LASU….”
“…. the Union has blacklisted LASU and directed its members to avoid any engagement in LASU such as external examination, Visitation Panel, sabbatical, conference attendance, accreditation exercise, resource verification and any form of collaboration….” The ASUU Zonal Coodinator expatiate”
The ASUU Zonal Coodinator who lamented that one hundred and twenty of their members in Kogi State University, some of whom have died, have been illegally sacked noted that they were neither been accused of any infringements nor convicted of any crime.
” ….. we hereby call on the Kogi State Governor to recall these colleagues in the interest of justice and the progress of the University….”
” ….. others are Ebonyi State University EBSU, Abakaliki: there is obvious lack of infrastructural development, erosion of the university autonomy by some political interests and our members are being victimised for speaking the truth to power by demanding that the owners and administrators of the University should live up to expectations….” He said.
“.… this has led to the unjustifiable suspension of the Chairperson of the Union and his predecessor…..”
” …. we demand their immediate recall….” Professor Timothy Namo insisted.
He said the Ambrose Ali University, has also been a running battle between the State Government and the Union, leading to the seizure of salaries of some members for many months, non-remittance of deductions and the autocratic running of the University.
” …. we hope that the recently constituted Governing Council will run the University in line with the extant laws and resolve all issues including the backlog of salaries owed our members as well as delayed promotions.
Federal University of Technology, Owerri FUTO …..”
” ….. the Vice-Chancellor of FUTO and her cohorts have continued to unjustly punish our faithful members at the Branch because of their patriotic stand against the illegal appointment/promotion of one Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami to the rank of Professor….,”
” …..we demand the reversal of the illegal actions of the Vice-Chancellor against our members in the Branch….. The ASUU Zonal Coodinator said.
According to the ASUU Zonal Coodinator the Vice-Chancellor
Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University COOU has locked up the secretariat of the Union and prevented members from holding meetings.
“… the salaries of our faithful members have also been withheld for up to a year with some of our members being suspended mainly due to their opposition to the violation of academic standards by the University Administration…..”
He appealed to the judiciary to accelerate the legal process and serve justice to their members as some of them have died while fighting the injustice perpetrated against them.
