Chinedum Treasure
Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has raised the alarm over lingering suffering of its members in various institutions across the country, calling for a stop to such ugly actions.
Zonal Coordinator, ASUU Owerri Zone, Dennis Aribodor in a statement on Tuesday, identified victimization suffered by their members to include dismissal from service, suspension from duty and statutory meetings, denial of promotion, deliberate seizure of salaries, nonpayment of promotion arrears, non remittance of third party deductions to stifling of union activities.
He regretted that the members were being persecuted for their commitment to discharge their intellectual responsibility by seeking the truth, finding the truth, teaching the truth and defending the truth.
He stressed that the ideals of a university should always be upheld to ensure universities played the expected roles in development of the society.
The statement reads, “At the National Executive Council (NEC) Meeting of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) held at the University of Ibadan 17th – 18th August, 2024, NEC discussed the level of victimization of lecturers in some universities and resolved to hold a solidarity rally and other activities on 10th September, 2024 to draw attention to the suffering of our members and call for a stop to such ugly actions.
“The victimization suffered by our members range from dismissal from service, suspension from duty and statutory meetings, denial of promotion, deliberate seizure of salaries, nonpayment of promotion arrears, non remittance of third party deductions to stifling of union activities.
“These our members are persecuted for their commitment to discharge their intellectual responsibility by seeking the truth, finding the truth, teaching the truth and defending the truth.
“The universities where some of our members are suffering victimization include Lagos State University (LASU), Kogi State University (KSU), Ebonyi State University (EBSU), Ambrose Ali University Ekpoma (AAUE) Edo State, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU) Anambra State and Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO) Imo State.
“Today 10th September, 2024 is the maiden edition of ASUU Victimized Lecturers’ Day in solidarity with our suffering members as injury to one is injury to all.
“Fellow Nigerians and compatriots, we are disheartened by the deliberate reluctance of the respective University Administrations, Governing Councils and Visitors of the stated universities to halt the spiraling victimization of academic staff for standing for truth.
“ASUU is particularly disturbed at the seeming travesty of justice in the judgment delivered against our members at the Kogi State University, Anyigba, after seven odd years of waiting! We are also worried by the extended period of court proceedings in respect of our colleagues illegally sacked at Lagos State University for upward of five years!
“Without doubt, the undue elongation of court proceedings in matters relating to the livelihoods of our affected members has created untold hardship not just for those so affected but also for their numerous dependents. Justice delayed is Justice denied.
“Again, we are deeply disappointed with the refusal of the Lagos State Government to release the White Paper on the Visitation Panel to LASU more than two years after the exercise. The seeming conspiracy of silence on this matter is unbecoming of a democratically elected government.
“We therefore call on the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to redeem his pledge to do the right thing at LASU and ensure the recall of our unjustly sacked colleagues.
“ASUU is dissatisfied with developments at EBSU where, rather than implement the court judgement and reinstate our sacked colleague, the Chairperson of the Branch, the University prefers to chase shadows by appealing the judgement.
“While appreciating the intervention of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Ebonyi State, and the efforts of the Visitor to the University ( the governor of Ebonyi State), we urge the Visitor to urgently conclude the healing process by directing the Governing Council and University Administration to obey the judgement of the Industrial Court, recall suspended lecturers and halt the appeal process as it is wasteful of public fund.
“The ASUU Owerri Zone urges other state universities and authorities in FUTO where our members are being persecuted to take decisive steps to resolve all lingering matters to give their universities a breath of fresh air. In addition, we urge university authorities and Visitors to state universities to take special interest in the application of the Laws governing their respective institutions and ensure that tyrannical tendencies of certain Vice-Chancellors are curbed.
“The ideals of a university should always be upheld so that universities can play the expected roles in development of the society.
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