By:Akalawu Chidiebere.
The administration of President Ahmed Bola Tinubu is yet to fully engage the Union to address all outstanding issues with ASUU decisively says Prof Kingsley Ubaoji, the ASUU NAU Chairman who yesterday had a press conference at ASUU NAU Secretariat before embarking on a peaceful demonstration with its members round the University blocks.
Prof Ubaoji in the company of all his members called on the Federal Government to attend to the following needs of their association:
Renegotiation of the 2009 agreement and implementation of Prof Nimi Briggs Report.
Revitalisation of Public Universities based on their agreed 2012, 2013 and 2017 Memorandum of Understanding.
Release of their three and half months withheld salaries.
Release of unpaid staff salaries.
Release of their third party deductions.
Implementation of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) in place of IPPIS.
Payment of Earned Academic Allowance captured in the 2023 Federal Budget.
Implementation of the Reports of the Visitation Panel.
Illegal dissolution of Governing Council in Federal and State University, Proliferation of public Universities among many others.
He noted with dismay the reoccurring habit of the Federal Government attending to the needs of the Nigerian Universities only when the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) embarks on an industrial action.
Adding his voice, Prof Dennis Aribodor, a past ASUU, NAU Chairman, warned the Federal Government to desist from opening Crisis Centres in the name of Universities. He opined that the energy should be directed to the development of the already existing Universities and employment of more Staff into these Universities.
Prof Frank Collins Okafor Dean faculty of Social Sciences and the University orator, hinted that the protest is to create a global awareness on the deplorable conditions of the Nigerian Universities and the need for its revitalisation. He condemned the unprecedented intervention of the Federal Government in the University process and administration. The heinous act of dissolution of the Nigerian Universities Governing Councils even when their tenures weren’t expired.
Also in his submission, Prof AU Nnonyelu speaking to the press, said that the demonstration is to raise public awareness towards the obvious neglect of the educational sector and government insensitivity and indifference to the cries and plights of the academic staff of the Nigerian Universities. He commended ASUU NAU members for their peaceful demonstration and mass participation.
Highlights of the protest include a press conference, led by the chapter president, Prof Kingsley Uborji, a peaceful demonstration around the University and a prayer session led by the sub Dean faculty of management sciences D
r Purity Ndubisi-Okolo.