The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), chapter of the Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO) today carried out a peaceful protest in rejection of the Federal Government’s casualisation of academics through the prorata payment of half salaries to their members.
The body in their large numbers matched within the school environment with their placards with incription “ASUU will not give up on the struggle, Aluta Continually”, “Nigeria University should attract forign students and lecturers”, “Buhari implemented Nimi Brigg’s Panel recommendation. That is our stand”. “We don’t like strikes, FG is responsible”, amongs others.
The protesters proceeded to the office of the Vice Chancellor of the institution where they handed over their demands for unward presentation to President Buhari.
Leading the protest, the Chairperson of ASUU in FUTO, Comrade Chinedu Ihejirika urged the Federal Government to stop forthwith the weaponization of hunger to whip academics and pay them their withheld 7 months salaries.
The Chairperson also urged the Federal Goverment to honor their agreement and stop the No work no pay anti labour rule for the interest of peace.
While he appealed to the Federal Government to stop the humiliation of academics who are generators of knowledge in the country, Ihejirija urged them use the first ever developed and home grown payment platform known as UTAS to pay University teaching staff.
The ASUU FUTO however demanded for the funding of revitiluzation of f Nigerian Public Universities to ensure improved infrastructure, conduciuve teaching and learning environment as well as student staff accommodation.
He regretted that rather than the Federal Government address the contentious issues, she has through her numerious agencies resorted to heavy blackmail , falsehood and weaponization of hunger by withholding the salaries of there members and dragging them to court
Receiving the protesting ASUU members, the Deputy Vice Chancellor Academics Prof. Godferey Nwandikom onbehalf of the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology Owerri FUTO, Prof. Nnena Otti assured that he would take their message to the Vice Chancellor for onward submissi
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