The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Abuja zone, has decried the death of some of its members as a result of poor remuneration and unfavorable working condition; aggravated by the economic turbulence ravaging the country.
According to the union, no fewer than 46 academics lost their lives in universities under the Abuja zone, which include: the University of Abuja,; Federal University of Technology, (FUT Minna); Federal University, Lafia; Nasarawa State University, Nasarawa, and the Ibrahim Babangida University, Lapai.
As reported by The PUNCH, zonal coordinator, ASUU, Abuja zone, Salahu Muhammed in a statement revealed that an eminent Professor of Fisheries, Johnson Oyero, of the FUT Minna, was recently lost due to the inability to afford quality medical facilities.
“In the last decade, more academics are leaving Nigeria in droves in search of greener pastures, those left in the system are being overworked, even as their patriotism dwindles on a daily basis due to poor remuneration and working conditions.
“ASUU has lost several members during the period under review due to herculean working conditions, psychological and emotional stress, and diseases related to these conditions. For instance, universities in the Abuja zone have lost 46 members.
“Just few days ago, we lost an eminent Professor of Fisheries, Johnson Oyero of the FUTMINNA, due to inability to afford quality medical facility,” he lamented.
However, the Federal Government yesterday commenced the payment of the withheld salaries of academics under the aegis of the ASUU.
Chairperson of ASUU at the FUTMinna, Prof. Gbolahan Bolarin confirmed the development, saying, payment had started rolling in.
The salaries were withheld in 2022, when the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari invoked a ‘No Work, No Pay policy” against some university-based unions that embarked on a strike that lasted eight months.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had in October 2023 approved the release of four of the eight months withheld workers’ salaries.
The Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, had also earlier disclosed plan by the government to implement a 35 percent salary increase for professors as recommended by the previous administration.
He also revealed that university academics would be exempted from the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), which has been a major bone of contention between the FG and the union.
Reacting to its exclusion from the payment of withheld salaries, the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has threatened to ground activities in universities across the country if the withheld salaries of its members are not paid.
The National President of SSANU, Mr. Mohammed Ibrahim insisted that it was a great injustice against the union.
“SSANU is in no way angry that ASUU was paid but it deserved to be paid too. We found out that only ASUU’s payment was approved. FG should know that it is not only ASUU that went on strike. Why then should our case be different? The government should pay everyone who works in the university. We have written to the Chief of Staff and Minister of Education and we escalated it to Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC). There is a palpable danger if SSANU members are not paid their backlog.” he threatened.
