By Okeke Eunice
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Tuesday raised concerns about a scheme aimed at undermining the welfare of public universities in Nigeria.
ASUU’s National President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, speaking at the 2024 ASUU Heroes Day event in Abuja, also accused the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund of persistently working to weaken Nigeria’s public education system.
The union expressed frustration over delays in renegotiating its 2009 agreement with the Federal Government, pointing out that despite multiple Memoranda of Understanding and Action, the 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement remains unreviewed and incomplete.
He also noted that the situation has worsened due to the continued enforcement of the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) in public universities, even after the Federal Executive Council announced intentions to remove the system from higher education institutions.
Osodeke also voiced concern that the Federal Government was unfairly withholding three and a half months of the union’s salaries, along with unpaid arrears for wages, promotions, and the Earned Academic Allowance that remain outstanding.
During the event, where ASUU honored what it described as its “past and living heroes,” Osodeke praised union members across the country for their “brave solidarity and sacrifices for our union’s cause, which continue to resonate with the fight for Nigerian public university education and the struggles of the Nigerian people.”
He also announced that the union would be providing PhD grants to some of its members at various public universities nationwide. Each grant, worth N500,000, would be awarded through a thorough evaluation of proposals by experts in the relevant fields.
“Comrades, as in previous years, this year’s celebration of our heroes comes amid our ongoing fight to save Nigeria’s public universities from the stifling grip of the World Bank and IMF, whose relentless efforts to dismantle and bury our public university system persist.”
“It is truly regrettable that we are still fighting to secure the renegotiation of our 2009 Agreement with the federal government, twelve years past its intended conclusion, after four unsuccessful rounds of negotiations.
“It is deeply disheartening and unacceptable that, despite numerous Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and Memoranda of Action (MoAs), the ASUU-FGN 2009 Agreement remains unrenegotiated and unfinished,” Osodeke stated.
He further claimed that ASUU members at the state level “are still being targeted for advocating for the rights of members and the integrity of the university system.”
He continued, “I want to reaffirm our support for our members at Kogi State University, Lagos State University, Ebonyi State University, and Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, who are facing persecution for their principled stance and solidarity in defending the mission of public university education in Nigeria.”
“As part of our Heroes Day celebration this year, and in alignment with the NDC decision, the union will be providing PhD grants to some of our members across various public universities nationwide.
“These grants, each valued at five hundred thousand naira, will be awarded based on a rigorous evaluation of their proposals by experts in the relevant fields.”
Those recognized at the event included Prof. T. Uzodinma Nwala, Prof. Bright Ekuerhare, Prof. Oye Oyediran, Mallam Bashir Kurfi, Prof. The Name Ikiddeh, Mr. S.A. Fadipe, and Prof. Sola Olukunle.
Also honored were Nasir Hussain, Tunde Oduleye, Prof. Rasheed Abubakar, Akin Oyebode, Mustapha A. Danesi, A.T. Wins, and Dr. Peter Ozo-son.