ASUU LAMENTS PAYMENT OF SAME SALARY TO MEMBERS FOR FIFTEEN YEARS

The Owerri, Anambra State zone of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU has lamented what it described as payment of same salary to its members for the past 15 years. It also expressed concerns that the union’s engagements with both Federal and various state governments on how to reposition public universities for national development, sequel to the Federal government ASUU Agreement of 2009, have been jettisoned by the parties involved.

Owerri ASUU zonal coordinator, Dennis Aribodor, stated this during a press conference at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, on Tuesday, pointing out that both the administrations of former President Muhammadu Buhari and the incumbent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu have abandoned the
main elements of the 2009 agreement and other lingering issues that led to the nationwide strike action of February to October 2022. Flanked by other executive members of the zonal union, Aribodor also disclosed that academic staff in public universities has been on the same salary structure for 15 years.

He therefore urged the Federal Government to speedily put a final closure to the renegotiation by directing the upward review of academic staff emoluments in view of current economic realities and the signing of the draft agreement reached with the Nimi Briggs committee. The lecturers also enthused that the signing of the Nimi Briggs Draft Agreement will be a concrete step towards restoring the dignity of the academia and ensuring industrial harmony and peace on the country’s campuses.

The Owerri ASUU also accused the Vice-Chancellor, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Prof. Nnenna Oti, of intimidation and victimisation of its members, over their rejection of the appointment of Doctor Isa Ibrahim Ali Pantami, as a professor in the institution.