The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) University of Jos Branch has called for an immediate end to the victimization of its members in seven universities across Nigeria.
Chairperson of ASUU, University of Jos, Comrade Jurbe Joseph Molwus named the universities to include Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo; Kogi State University (KSU), Anyingba; Ebonyi State University (EBSU), Abakaliki; Ambrose Ali University (AAU), Ekpoma; Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO) and Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU), Igbariam.
Molwus, while addressing journalists at the ASUU Secretariat in preparation for the marking of 10th September, 2024 as National Day for Victims of victimization as approved by the National Executive Council (NEC) of the Union, accused the aforementioned universities of unjust victimisation of its members through termination of appointment, suspension, withholding of salaries, denial and delay of promotion, non-remittance of union dues and other third party deductions, among others.
The ASUU Chairman also insisted on the withdrawal of the professorial title early conferred on the former Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Hon. Isa Pantami by the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO).
Molwus noted that there has been a running battle against their union members at the Lagos state University (LASU), Ojo, “which manifested in the victimisation of some leaders of our union at the University.”
“Despite the submission of the visitation panel report more than two years ago, the Lagos State government has refused to release and implement the white paper therefrom. We hereby call on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to immediately recall our unjustly sacked colleagues, failing which will lead to the continuous enforcement of the sanction on LASU by the NEC of our union,” Molwus said.
He said at the Kogi State University (KSU), Anyingba, the Academic Staff Union of Universities, KSU Anyigba, branch, also has a long history of struggles primarily aimed at improving the academic standard and physical infrastructure of the University as well as the welfare of their members only to face unpatriotic actions of the state government leaving the institution in a shadow of itself.
“Sadly, due to the unpatriotic actions of the State Government and University administration, Kogi State University Anyigba, is today, a shadow of its old self, having fallen short of the dreams of its founding fathers. Let justice prevail. Let the persecution of KSU 120 end. Let there be restoration. No allegation of any infringements has been levied against our members yet they are being punished. We hereby call on the Kogi state governor to tow the path of honour and do the needful,” he stated
He noted that the situation is not different at the Ebonyi State University (EBSU), Abakaliki: ‘At EBSU, there is visible lack of infrastructure, 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.
“This has led to the unjustifiable suspension of the Chairperson of our Union and his predecessor, and we demand their immediate recall.” The Union leader stated
Molwus disclosed that Union members at the Ambrose Ali University (AAU), Ekpoma also suffered the same fate.
“At AAU, there has also been a running battle between the State government/ university administration against our Union leading to the seizure of salaries, non-remittance of third party deductions when salaries are paid and the autocratic running of the university using a Special Intervention Team (SIT) which is alien to the university laws.”
He pointed out that the recently constituted Governing Council should run the university in line with the extant laws and settle all issues including the backlog of salaries being owed by their members.
At the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), the branch chairperson explained that the Vice Chancellor and her collaborators have continued to unjustly punish their faithful members at the branch because of their patriotic stand against the “illegal appointment /promotion of Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami to the rank of a professor. We demand the reversal of the illegal actions of the Vice Chancellor against our members in the branch.”
Meanwhile for the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU), Igbariam, Molwus re-echoed this: “At COOU, the University administration has locked up the secretariat of our union and prevented our 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,” Molwus stressed.
He noted that the lingering feud has continued to affect the academic performance of the students of the universities with some having only five lecturers in a department.
They equally appealed to the judiciary to expedite their processes and serve justice to their members as justice delayed is as good as justice denied?
“Now that some of our victimised members have died while fighting the injustice perpetrated against them, who will plead their case?” they quipped.
